WAIMATUKU CHANNEL

Western Star, 8 May 1925, Page 3

WAIMATUKU CHANNEL

THE OPENING CEREMONY DRAINING THE FLAT The straightening of the Waiinatukn to permit of more effective drainage to the land adjoining the stream, .has long been talked of by the settlers along its banks and on Wednesday, after many vicissitudes, the opening of the new channel ivas celebrated. Like many of the other small streams of Southland the Waimatuku’s course is a -winding one and when the river vises the water cannot get away quickly and small local floods occur. The straightening of the channel will remedy ‘his. ns well as providing a better fall for the effective drainage of tlm land in the vicinity of the river. The River Board’s district is the largest in New Zealand and comprises an area of 18,6640 acres and streaehes from the foreshore at the mouth to the intersection of the stream with the Drummond—Otautau Road. The length of the district is approximately 15 miles, and the Width varies from 1 mile to 4 miles. The river flows roughly down the centre. The capital value of the district is £245,048. FORMATION OF DISTRICT.

The initial step towards the constitution of the district was taken on 18tli July 1912, when a very representative meeting of the settlers was held in the Waimatuku Public Hall at which the present-Chairman of the River Board presided. By invitation, Mr John Fisher, the Clerk of the Otautau Rivei Board attended to explain the proceedure for tho formation of a River District. The whole position was subsequently discussed at length and on the motion of Messrs W Beck and C. A. Henderson it was resolved '‘That a river district be formed to deal with the Waimatuku Stream from sourer-, to mouth, and that it ; be divided int o three divisions.” ’ _ Messrs W. Beck, J. Liiulsa ( v, and J. Ranee were appointed to deline the district aiid Messrs R. McNeill, H. Dawson, A. McKenzie, T. A. Buckingham, W- J ‘ Boyd and C. A. Hetuderson to get'the necessary petition signed. • Mr W. Macalister, solicitor, was engaged to prepare the petition and Messrs Macalister Bros., subsequently appointed solicitors to the Boaid. Mr C. A. Henderson , acted as Secretary during the preliminary stages. The proclamation constituting the District was Gazetted on 3rd July 1924, the first election of members took place on the 22nd July, 1914, and the first meeting of the Board was held at "Mains O’Blair,” Otahuti on Monday, 27th Julyl9l4. WAIMATUKU RIVER BOARD

The members of the first Board were: —Lower Subdivisions, Messrs John Brown Jnr., John Ranee and H. O. Dawson; Middle Subdivision,.Messrs A McKenzie, R. and C. A. Henderson; Upper Subdivision, Messrs T. A. Buckingham, John Lindsay and-P-C. C McLeish. At the first meeting of the Board Mr A. McKenzie was appointed Chairman, and has continued in office throughout. In 1922 the good offices of Mr A. Hamilton succeeded in interesting the State Advances Department in the Boards’ needs, and in 1923 that Department agreed to a. first instalment of a loan .of £SOOO upon which sum the Board is now working. On the 19th March, 1923 the Board resolved to call tenders for the work, defined by' the Engineer throughout- the! entire course-of the river. On opening the tenders on the 14th July 1923 they, were found to be entirely beyond the resources of the Board, and far in excessof the Engineer’s estimate, aiul were; declined.

On the 21st August, 1923 an agreement was made between the Board and Mr A. Guiso to carry out the work (m a salary and bonus basis and under this work is now proceeding satisfactorily.

In. December, 1923 the Board authorised the purchase from Messrs J. J. Niven, Ltd, of the steam shovel now working in the river to meet the cost of which, and fittings a special loan of £l-,500 was raised as the State Advances Department are not authorised to advance on machinery. The money raised from that Department could only 'be used in carrying out the drainage work.

The heaviest part of the Board’s work .is to be, seen in the big cut diverting th,e river below the point where the dredge is now working, and it is confidently expected the rate of progress will be more rapid when the natural stream only has to be dealt with. THE STEAM EXCAVATOR, The steam excavator was working for the benefit of, the visitors and its method of removing' dirt for the formation of the channel was keenly followed. Tile excavator is an ideal, implement for the work and is the embodiment of Nil* A. Guise’s own ideas. ■The excavating shovel is driven by a 14 li.p. steam engine, power being generated by firewood of' which an abundant supply is lying along the banks of the channel. The shovel works at the end of a 30 foot beam, and lias a dumping radius of that distance. By manipulating the various guy ropes the dumps can be made on either side of the channel, which is a. big advantage,' The shovel can extricate -logs as easily as the ordinary soil found on the job and in this respect is much ahead . of the many steam excavators used on similar, work. THE CHAIRMAN’S REMARKS

“It is pleasing to see such a. good turnout,” said the Chairman of the Board, Mr A. McKenzie, in opening proceedings. ' “We have had enquiries from all over Southland about this work and this was one of tliei reasons why an official opening was decided upon, All desiring information could then obtain it first-hand! He then referred to the other important openings which had been celebrated daring the past week, and .said that the present work was just as important to the dis-, triet concerned as the other schemes were to their districts. The Board had had a very checkered career, and when lie came to tho district first, about 34 years ago, he was told when he bought his land that' a Board would be formed, in a- very short time- He would then have no difficulty in draining liis land. In 1912 definite steps were taken to form the Board; hut they had only started when the war intervened . and put a stop to their aetivites. The straightening of the river would decrease flood, risks and there was no doubt that the scheme was going to he a success. The present cry was for more production and their scheme would increase the production of their

district to a considerable extent. Be contented that the Government should give more support to schemes like theirs which were endeavouring to improve the condition of the land. . When the river was straightened their drainage would be better and this would reflect in better returns. Tlieir contractor, Mr Guise, had been working since last June and was making good progress. COST OF PRODUCTION

Mr John Fisher, 1 Secretary to the Board, outlined the history of the Board given above, and the difficulties the members met with in the early stages. He said that the present cost of excavation was about 7d pet yard, but the ultimate cost would be about 9d. About one-third of the work had been completed, and they •: io have, the channel 1 finished in three years. THE OPENING SPEECH

Before calling upon Hon A F. Hawke. M.L.C, to declare the channel open, the Chairman read apologies fronl Messrs J C Thomson, M.P., P. deja Perrelle, M.P., A W Rodger, A. Hamilton and the Mayor of Invercargill, Mr A. Bain.

“I have to thank the Chairman and the Board for their invitation to open the channel,” said Mr Hawke, “and I am pleased to see so many here.” He said he had heard of the Board for many years’.as its formation had dragged wearily along. After 10 year? as a Board, he was pleased to hear that they were going to complete thework in three years right np to the limit of the Board’s district. When the channel was completed he was sure that the Waimatuku flat would bear out fits reputation of being one of the best flats in the province. Like the Chairman, hp was of. opinion that the Government should have given more assistance and perhaps- have carried out tho work altogether.' If the Government had done that 30 years ago they would have their channel, and have all the loan paid off. However, the Gorvenment took up the attitude that it was the business of the settlers themselves as the Government had no interest in the- scheme He was certain that the channel would increase the production of the district. They had only to look at the land brought fin under the Waikiwi scheme —land that had not been ploughed was now sown in grass for the first time. The same would happen under the Waimatuku .Board and their increase should be at least one-third. He referred to the success of a small scheme .near Diptoii, which resulted in land going up in value from £2 per acre to £lO per acre, but that was 25 years ago when the cost of breaking land up was 4/8 per acre, as against 30/- to-day. If their scheme had been started 25 years, ago it would have made all the difference in the cost to the ratepayers. It would he: a good thing for Southland if it were all drained by’ channels such as theirs.

“I want to congratulate you upon your work,” He concluded. “You ban* , good grass country and with more lime it will improve considerably. You will be doing good work if you complete film channel in three years, and I congratulate Mr-Guise on the excavation done I trust the scheme is going to he :d ! von expect it to be.” Mrs A. McKenzie then cut the will I ! hons and Mr Hawke declared the channel officially opened. - DRAINAGE. Mr J. 11 Hamilton said he was great|ly interested in the -present scheme, as j he had seen a great deg] of the pioni eering work of the province. The pre--5 sent generation had to thank the I pioneers for a great deal and they ’were under a deep debt of gratitude |to those people. The pioneers were the •first to succeed in draining the land, jund they used very primitive'methods ! when compared with the modern mai chinery. It paid to drain good land ■anil he hoped their returns would warJrant the expenditure. He was pleased to be associated with the opening, am, wished them every success. Mr W. Forde, one of the pioneers ol the district, said ho was pleased to join in congratulating the Board upon the -work done. The was an important event so far as the welfare of the district was concerned. There had been important events during the past week, hut the present scheme was more important to the farming community. It was a stop forward towards. increased, production, and increased production was necessary for farmer was prosperous, all the country was prosperous At present the farmer was feeling the burden of rates and .taxes and they were faced /with ‘another tax for the Mouowai scheme. ‘They were told that. Mr Hawke had said that the drainage scheme Would increase their production at least one-third, hut lie was confident that it was going to do more than /that. The fla’t contained fertile! hind second to none in Southland, and it would respond to drainage. He was impressed with the work done gratulated Mr Guise on the progress. “I hope,” he concluded,” that in three years mentioned, the channel, will have reached the hogs further up, and that we arc all there to see the completion of tho work”

Mr H..F. Drewe, Chairman of the Southland League, said the League was pleased to be associated with the opening which- meant more progress. Southland was doing for itself what other portions of the Dominion relied upon the Government to do, and the League was there to help any movement which would benefit .Southland. Cheers were then given for the Board and staff.

The visitors were then entertained by tho Board at afternoon tea.