WAIKATO SWAMP AREA

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17712, 16 May 1929, Page 6

WAIKATO SWAMP AREA

INSPECTED BY MINISTER. A COMPREHENSIVE SCHEME. SUPPORT ASKED BY SETTLERS. MERCER, Wednesday. Travelling three miles from Mercer by launch this afternoon, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, Minister of Lands and Agriculture, was shown the great extent. of the Whangamarino and Maramarua swamp areas, and his assistance was invited in support of a movement for the drainage of the swamps as part of a comprehensive scheme for dealing with the silting of tiie Waikato River and (he draining of various contiguous swamps. Mr J. Dean, the representative of the Mercer Riding of the Franklin County Council, in explaining the position, said a drainage association was formed in 1011, hut was shortly afterwards superseded by a river board, which controlled Waikato River from the heads to Huntly. The operations of the board were not successful, and Its liability now stood at over £9OOO. A movement representing interests from the Heads to Hamilton had recently been initiated with a view to a comprehensive scheme being advanced to deal with the silting problem. Board of Engineers Proposed, It was estimated that as a result of the works at Arapuni between 4,000,000 and 5,000,000 cubic yards of debris were brought down the river last year. Besides dealing with the river problem, continued Mr Dean, it was desired that the comprehensive scheme proposed should deal with the drainage of the Whangamarino and Maramarua swamps to make those areas available for settlement. The swamp areas totalled about 24,000 acres, of which 13,000 acres were Crown lands. It was urged that the Government should set up a hoard of engineers to provide expert data designed for the improvement of the river and drainage of the swamp. It was evident that gravitation would not solve the problem. Mr Dean added that it was felt the river problem would be aggravated if the Woodlands drainage scheme further up the river was proceeded with, as already islands and obstructions were appearing up the river. Problem of National Importance.

Mr A. Hall, M.P. for Hauraki, and Mr J. N. Massey, M.P. for Franklin, supported the request for the setting up of a board of experts, stressing the fact tiiat the problem was in a sense of national importance. Mr Massey, speaking as chairman of Franklin County Council, said certain responsibilities of the river board had been thrust on his council by Act of Parliament, and the council was anxious hoard that those responsibilities should be placed elsewhere. The Minister, who had similar representations made to him at Rangiriri last week, said the matter was admittedly one for -experts, as no ordinary layman could find Ihc best solution of the problem presented by the great Waikato River and the vast swamp areas. He would he pleased to place the representations before the Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Public Works. Mr Massey said Mr Ransom had promised lo set apart a day later for an inspection of the river. The deputation also asked for a free grant of £IOOO for an access road to the Kohoroa block, comprising between 4000 and 5000 acres of Crown lands. The block is in the vicinity of the Whangamarino and Maramarua swamp areas. Mr Forbes said he would also place that request before Mr Ransom.