ULTIMATUM

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 61, 1 August 1947, Page 4

ULTIMATUM

FARMERS’ FLOOD LOSSES CLAIM AGAINST COUNTY Threatening to claim for accumulated losses of successive crops over the past six years estimated at £2OOO, unless steps were taken to clear his outlet drain giving ample freeway for flood waters to drain, Mr G. W. Mexted, of Thornton, waited on the County Council at its meeting on Tuesday. He asked for a definite answer as to whether the Council would shoulder the responsibility of constructing a bridge which he maintained should replace the 3ft. culvert constructed some 20 years ago by the Council’s officers.

“I did not expect to be here again” said Mr Mexted, “after being promised some fifteen months ago, when I was last here, that the Council would go ahead with the building of the bridge I suggested. He pointed out that' originally his outlet was spanned by 25ft. span railway bridge, which had been later enlarged to a 50ft. span when the engineers had seen how the flood waters had banked up. Wl}en the County Council had constructed the road it had dismantled the bridge and inserted the culvert which had simply banked up the flood waters on his farm ruining successive crops. He had, he said, now arrived at the decision that unless something was done he wanted compensation. At the last flood the water had been 18” higher on his side of the road than on the other and as a result some four acres of marketable carrots had been flooded and he estimated that 50 per cent, had been ruined.

The chairman explained that the Council had promised him when he last waited on it, that it was prepared to replace the culvert with a bridge providing it could get a subsidy from the P.W.D. The application to the Department had been turned down and now the Council was faced with the cost of constructing the bridge from its own funds and of trusting in the meantime that the Building Controller would make the timber available should it wish to proceed. Mr Mexted: And I’m to be the loser all the time! * The Chairman: No' but I’m just telling you the position. Mr Mexted; Well, I’m fed dp to\ the back teeth and if I am negatived today I intend going right ahead. The outlet is a natural watercourse which I consider the Council has blocked, so that the water is banked up on my property and I am suffering severe losses for which T will claim over the past six years.

When Mr Mexted retired following an assurance from the chairman that he would receive an immediate answer to his representations, the Council discussed the matter fully and decided to instruct the engineer to draw up estimates for a 12ft. bridge to replace the culvert and to submit same to the Council for approval; subsequent representations to be made to the Building Controller for authority to use the necessary rrtaterials. This information will be conveyed to Mr Mexted without prejudice.