An uneasy relationship : Palmerston North City and the Manawatu River, 1941-2006 : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History at Massey University

Abstract

This preface is a declaration of interest in aspects of this thesis. As a Palmerston North City Councillor from 1983 to 1992 I had a considerable interest in Civil Defence and was involved in the welfare operation in the 1988 flood in the south-west corner of the City. When elected to Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council in 1989 my interest also encompassed the Lower Manawatu Flood Control Scheme (LMS), to the extent of organising a bus tour of the scheme for the Palmerston North Local History Group in 1990. In 1994 I was one of the Regional Council members on the Public Liaison group for the Review of the LMS. In the late 1990s, as Mayor of Palmerston North I was necessarily involved in the decision-making processes for the Wastewater 2006 project. I am no longer an elected member of any local authority and represent Palmerston North City on the Wastewater Monitoring Group. After the floods of February 2004 I was asked to be the Palmerston North trustee on the newly formed Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Disaster Relief Fund Trust. I have been Chairperson of the Trust since that time. Given the intensive involvement in that work for over twelve months, my topic for a History Masters thesis more or less chose itself.