Moutoa Drainage Board

Chronicle (Levin), 1 October 1948, Page 3

Moutoa Drainage Board

The monthly meeting of the Moutoa Drainage Board was held in the board's offi.ee this week, aiid was presidedf.over by Mr. S. W. Barber (chairman) . Also present Vere Messrs. E. H. Robinson, W. H. Smith, G. Cull, N. i. Easton and the cierk (Mr. G. V. Fraser) . The foreman- • (Mr. W. Kruse) reported that during the month 25 chains of Carter's Drain- was completed arid 25 chains of Carter's Drain dragged and shovelled lat the bottom. : The floodgates had been attended to and the varibus drains inspected. It was found that 50 chains of Lean's Drain was blocked with lilies and water- grass, whicn was holding up the water in the lower end of Carter's Drain to a depth of two feet. Tlie repor-t was received and it was decided to write to the department concerned' about the blockage in Lean's Drain. The Manawatu-Oroua River Board wrote advising that its engineer had inspected the Main Drain floodgates on August 24, and had found the external water 7 ft. and internal water 4 ft. 6 ins., a "head" of 2 ft. 6 ins. of water thus showing. The two gates at . the northern end showed minor leaks and the old gates both minor and serious leaks. In view of the fact that the river board had spent a great deal of money on the gates, which were not operating satisfactorily, the river board asked the drainage board to take over the maintenance-. Mr. Cull • said that the gates were far from satisfactory. The second set of gates o'n the northern end were leaking badly. These gates had previousiy. been tied up when the engineer inspected them. - • ' : Mr. Easton: The gates leaked within a month or two of construction. They have always leaked. Mr. Cull: The gates are overlapping and have never been s&lis--factory. It was decided to advise the river board that the board would not accept the maintenance of the gates until such a time as they were made to operate . satisf actoriiy- ' Mr. Cull reported that a block still existed under the old "road bridge at Whirokino. He estimated that it field back a foot of water. It was decided to have this attended to.