RIVERS COMMISSION.

Western Star, 19 March 1920, Page 3

RIVERS COMMISSION.

OTAUTAU SITTING. LENGTHY EVIDENCE HEARD. S ■■■ The members of the Rivers Commission that is at present investigating tho rivers problem) throughout the country—Messrs F. W. Furkert (chairman), A. J. Hunter and P. C. Hay—journeyed to Otautau on Monday and visited various areas affected by the eccentricities of the various rivers in tho district. On Tuesday the Commission eat in the Otautau Courthouse to hear evidence to:—.

(1) Inquire into the cause or causes of the silting up of the channels, the flooding of the adjacent lands by the said rivers, the erosion of their banks and the damage to the surrounding country; (2) ascertain the nature and extent of the damage done to the lands adjacent to the said rivers, and what area of land is affected by such floods or erosions or both, and) whether it is practicable at reasonable expense to prevent such flooding or erosion, or both, either wholly or partly; (3) ascertain the best method of providing for the control of the >gaid rivers and their tributaries so as to safeguard the lauds affected, and to provide for the effective control and improvement of the said rivers and their banks; (4) ascertain the nature and extent 'of any drainage works that may be required and the best method of carrying out such works; (5) (a) furnish, estimates of* tho cost of such remedial measures as witnesses may recommend should be taken for the effective control and improvement of the said rivers and their banks; (b) report in the case, of each river what area, or • areas of land should be constituted a- district in respect of which, a rate may ho levied to -secure and pay the interest on and provide a fund for the repayment of any loan that may be raised to carry out any river improvement works which witnesses may recommend should bo undertaken; (c) report witnesses’ opinions on all matters arising out of or touching the promises, including the question as to whether or not one or more compot«nt authority shall be appointed to control the whole or any portion or portions of the said rivers, and what statutry powers should be possessed by such authority. F. J. Linscott ,of Thornbury, member of tho Wallace County Council, was the first witness called. About thirty years ago, he said), the Apariraa was deeper than now and the bed lower. When questioned regarding his attitude to the present system! of river control, witness was not definite. Farmers should not be prevented ..from forming themselves into a. river board in order to protect good land,. William Brown, Thornbury, said that a great deal of his land atus worth £2O an acre. It would have been worth a good deal if he could have had the land savedl, and the 50 acres left Avas worth paying something roaisonable to save—at least £lO per year. v

Alexander Anderson, a settlwr living adjacent to the previous witness, when asked if ho had lost any land, said that he had paid for a good bit that he had not secured, but he had not lost any land. He supposed that £lO or £ls would cover the cost of labour in protecting both farms. H* had no settled ideas about the qnestino of control, but he did not know that ho was satisfied with the present system. One man could easily damage the property of the mpn on the other side. Ho would be prepared to come into a district and pay rates for protection.

George Irwin, who stated that he had been a settler on the lower part of the river for many years, said that ho was in the position of being on land through which the council at times wanted a new road, and for this, it bald to pay him. The evidence brought forward! by the Otautau River Board was then called.

John Lindsay said that he* was the chairman of the Board, and that he lived on the area, flooded by the O'pio cteek. The Board had been formed for the purpose of preventing the Jacob’s river overflowing into l the Opio creek and to bank the Otautau stream. He could not say what area the Board controlled; the valuation was about £200,000. The banks had been built for about 36 year’s, but the river came into the town almost every flood. This was because banks had been erected only along 20 or 30 chains. Banks had not been put right along because, probably, of lack of money, * and because there were not suitable places in all parts to erect banks. The Board had no idea what was the fall of the river, and no data as to the height of the floods or velocity had been kept. He had no plan of the banks built in the town along the stream/. ' John Fisher, clerk of the River Board, said that he had held the position since tfie Board’s reconstruction in 1910- He stated that the rates were struck in three classes —a half-penny, three-eighths, and a farthing. The Commission, couldt sec plans of the major works carried 1 out, and the Board’s balance sheets. The Board’s district was about 10,000 acres. The revenue on the country sub-division was £l7B and that on the town sub-division £235. In the last ten years the Board had attended to the whole of the Otautau river within the confines of the district. Bars had been removed, in several instances cuts haffi been made to remove beuds, ah<f a channel cut from, 55 to 60 chains long. This cut was originally intended as an overflow channel.

Evidence was also given by G. A. Burnett, and Jno. McDonald. The general opinion expressed was that the County Council should) take over, control of the river.

Thomas A. Buckingham, until two years ago a settler at Waimatuku, and now of Riugway, said that during 38 years there had been four floods at the Waimatuku. The 1913 flood was the only one doing any great damage. He held that one board should control both sides of the river, and, ho was sure, it would be in the interests of the district if there was only one controlling body. The inclusion of Government nominees conversant with rural conditions would doubtless be n help. The witness believed that the County Council could control the Aparima river as cheaply

as the work was at present costing. James G. C. Baker, engineer to the County Council, testified to having known tho river nine years. Bridges had to be raised as they were re-built. He thought the suggestion that the County Council should look after the rivers a. good one in so far as there would be no conflicting interests, but there might be difficulties because of the extra work thrown on the staff.