11

J).—6

MINUTES OE EVIDENCE.

INDEX. ■ NY). ' PIOK. 1. Ernest Robinson, Secretary Spring (.'reek River Board .. .. . . . . . . . . II 2. William Smith, Chairman Tuamarina River Board .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 12 3. Alfred Rore, Chairman Wairau Maori Drainage Distriot .. .. .. .. .. .. 12 4. Henry Joseph Sta.ec, Secretary Pukaka River and Drainage Board .. .. .. .. ... 12 5. Thomas Jeffries, farmer, Fairhall .. . . . . . . . . . . .. \ . . 13 6. John Olervaux Chaytor, Marshlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]:! 7. Archibald McOallum, fanner, and Chairman Lower Wairau River Board . . . . . . . . 14 8. Arthur Penrose Seymour, surveyor, Picton . . . . . . .. . . . . . . 14 9. Frederick Redwood, farmer. Spring Creek . . . . . . .. . . ' . . . , 15 10. Philip Rush, settler, Grovetown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . 15 11. Robert McCartney, farmer, Dillon's Point .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 12. Alexander James Maelaine, Secretary Wairau Harbour Board .. . . .. . . . . l(i 13. Frank Adams, farmer, and member Lower Wairau River Board . . .. . . . . . . 10 14. Albert Edward Hope, launch-proprietor, Blenheim . . .. . . ... . . .. 17 15. Edward Stone Parker, Deputy Mayor, Blenheim . . . . .. .. .. .. . . 17 16. Thomas Prichard, builder, Wairau West . . .. .. . . .. „ . . .. . . 17 17. John Henry Sutherland, Chairman Spring Creek River Board .. .. .. .. .. 17 18. John Storey, farmer. North Bank, Wairau .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 18 19. Lewis Griffiths, auctioneer and land agent, also until lately Chairman Wairau Harbour Hoard .. .. 18

Ernest Robinson. (No. 1.) SECRETARY Spring Creek River Board for last twelve years, and overseer. The banking begun by private individuals, and adopted by the Board and added to where found necessary. Groynes were put in where erosions occurred, and willows planted to protect the bank of the river and the floodbanks ; the river-beds cleared of growth from time to time. Banks have been set back from the river ■to give more waterway at sundry places. The river-channels vary from time to time, requiring new protection-works. The Peninsula was privately owned, and banked, from near the Spring Greek Railway Bridge within the last four years to the mouth of the creek. The work was done by Smale, the owner, and was subsidized with £200 from the Board, after approving the work. The effect was to back the water up the Spring Creek Stream, as there was not sufficient waterway at Botham's Bend. This caused the Spring Creek to overflow Section 50, and scour out the railway-line and flood Grovetown and the north end of Spring Creek. The Board decided to buy the property and lower the banks. Purchased in June, 1.916, and banks immediately lowered in May, after agreement to purchase. We had large floods in July and November of 1916, which the river could not cope with ; but there have been four small floods which would have overflowed the land but for this work. The effect has been beneficial. In 1914 the Lower Wairau River Board erected a groyne below Conder's Bend, across the Opawa River, and threw the water into the Wairau. The effect is that we have more water in the Wairau. The bank at Leslie's was carried away twice and repaired. Again it was carried away, and a new line of bank put up farther back. The bank at Matthews', west of Hillock's Road, was broken twice by overtopping in each case. It has been repaired. The bank was broken between 'Hillock's Road and Hall's. This bank was considered safe until the November flood. Between the Peninsula and the Perry banks were topped and broken. These had never been topped before—below the bridge the banks have not been topped. Erosions have taken place in many places below the Ferry Bridge. There was no damage done by the Opawa for several years past. We erected two groynes on the Opawa within the last three years. They have been effective opposite Leary's breach. This place has given trouble for previous ten years. The July and November floods did damage to the amount of £26,000. For the last three years previous to this the damage was £8,000. The November flood was the highest for the last twelve years. At its height you could cross the Opawa on a draught horse at the Renwick Ford. The Opawa River bed was cleared of growth about eight years ago. Within twelve years we have cleared about a mile of the Wairau River bed. The growth has a tendency to block the water from getting away. Clearing would do a great deal of good. Three-quarters of the money should be spent in clearing and a quarter spent in banking. This would give a better result. A certain amount of growth, is necessary to protect the stop-banks. We have had no floods since 1904 of any size until within the last three years. In the 1904 flood a coach was washed down and driver drowned on road between Ferry Bridge and Tuamarina. The effect of Smale's bank and the growth in the river-bed backed up Spring Creek, and prevented the water flowing across the Peninsula as it used to, and raised the water so as to flow over the Tuamarina banks. The July flood could have been carried by the two rivers. It was caused by a north-west rain. At the time of the November flood the Onamalutu was very high, and the Wairau was backing up into the Tuamarina Swamp. The swamp was higher than it has ever been, owing to the water being backed up by the Wairau. The Tuamarina River Board was constituted about four years ago. It has banked the river and kept it from flowing where it used to in flood-times. Stop-banks have been erected on "left bank of Wairau from Tuamarina to the Ferry Bridge since 1904, and below to the Maori. Pa, to