CRASHING THE LAKE

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14631, 6 April 1921, Page 5

CRASHING THE LAKE

BEAUTY SPOT MENACED WHO 18 RESPONSIBLE? PROMPT STEPS NECESSARY. The' steady lowering of the Hamilton Lake during the jiast few months is leaving this beautiful stretch of water with a muddy .rush-grown, ugly fringe, and Hie Domain Hoard is becoming perturbed over Hie causes, which threaten to completely destroy Hie beauty of the Lake if prompt steps arc not taken.

In a report on the matter to the Board, last night, Mr A. Swarbrick (chairman) said: — “The Hamilton Lake (Botoroa), about 140 acres in area, is Crown Land set aside as a domain reserve, and is under the administration of this Board. From lime to time it has been reported to Hie Board that the surface of the Lake was being lowered, and the late Board gave this matter their constant attention. The Railway Department draws water for its engines by means of a drain leading to Hie pumping station, and throe years ago I arranged witli the engineer of that department to construct a dam at Hie pumping station so as to keep the water at its proper level. Until last year the level of the Lake was always maintained. It, was lowered in the summer time, hut was restored to its level hy the winter rains. Last year, owing to the delay in reappointing the present Board, for several mnnlhs there was no Domain Board in legal existence, and during that, period this and other important Domain matters were loft without any proper supervision or management. During that period certain works have been carried out which have already lowered the Lake below any previous level, and unless immediate steps are taken to protect the body of wafer in Hie Lake. Hie ultimate result of the works in question will be to greatly lower the surface of the Lake and to diminish if not entirely destroy the beauty of the Lake. A great, portion of Hie Lake is exceedingly shallow, and any serious lowering will have Hie effect of causing a great part of its surface to become unsightly mud flats. In this and other ways there is an immediate and practical dancer of the beauty of the Lak? being destroyed. Its loss would be a serious disaster to the town, and the Board should at once take active steps to prevent such a loss. The powers and resouces of the Board are. of course, limited, and it will probably require the assistance of the Borough Council and of the public at large in order to effectively deal with the matter. We should, however, endeavour to inform Hie public of the serious danger now threatening the Lake, and of the means necessary to avert that danger, and with this view, propose to submit certain resolutions for the approval of Hie Board. The following resolutions were later adopted:

(1) That the members of the Board visit the land on the shore of the Lake, adjoining the drain reserve in order io determine what steps are necessary in order to protect the Lake from being lowered and otherwise injuriously affected. (2) —That a surveyor be employed to pick up and flag the pegs placed by Mr Lawrence Cousin to define the boundaries of the Lake.

(3). —That the opinion of Messrs Bell, Gully, Myers and O’Leary be obtained on the following questions. (1) What are the legal boundaries of tho Lake? (2) What are the powers of the Board to conserve the waters of the Lake.