DRAINAGE BOARD.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 671, 14 August 1876, Page 2

DRAINAGE BOARD.

Monday, August 14. The Board met at 10 30 a.m. Present— Messrs F. Hobbs (chairman), T. D. Jones, H. J. Tancred, H. J. Hall, R. J. S. Harman, E, G. Wright, J. V. Ross, A. Duncan. The chairman said that since the last meeting, Mr J. L. Wilson, the propiietor of the Carlton Mill, had waited upon him, and asked that the Board should delay closing the mill race until after their meeting that day. He (the chairman) had gone to Hanmer and Harper, the solicitors to Mr Wilson, and they had told him that it was impossible for Mr Wilson to obtain a prescriptive right. The race passed over three Government roads, and no prescriptive right could be given over the property of the Crown. Under these circumstances, he (the chairman) thought that the delaying of any action with regard to the race for a few hours would not be undesirable. Messrs Hanmer and Harper had informed him that they had advised Mr Wilson to acknowledge the right of the Board over the race, so that there was an end of the matter. The committee had met and considered the various amendments in the Act which, with a new clause referring to artesian wells, had been forwarded to Mr Rollestcn at Wellington. Mr Harman said he thought that the Board should have from Mr Wilson’s solicitor something definite to lay before their solicitor. He would move—“ That Messrs Hanmer and Harper be requested to communicate with the solicitors to the Board respecting the Carlton mill race.” Mr Wright seconded the motion, which was carried. The engineer’s report was read as follows ; ‘ In regard to the complaint made against part of the Canal Reserve drain, I will take measures to afford relief to the section complained of, but deepening part of the drain in the manner proposed by the petititioners cannot be carried out, as it would be very costly, and would conduct the drainage in a wrong direction. “ I beg to submit the recently purchased copy of sat of block plans of the city, and papers connected with the purchase, with the guarantees of accuracy given by Mr Strouts. “ by direction of the Board, persons obstructing or appropriating the drain reserve between Madras and Barbadoes streets have been notified to remove the same before the Board cause the drain to be re-opened. I propose to investigate and define all other such reserves in the city, and to furnish the consulting engineer with a list of them, so that they may be used or abandoned. “ On the occasion of the recent rains which flooded the S.E, districts, I took observatians and levels to show the obstructions to the discharge of the water, which have been sent to the consulting engineer. “It would appear that the brick outfall and Ferry road drain together are not equal to discharging the water of a heavy flood as fast as it comes. These two outfalls arc, however, not fairly tested as to the discharging capacity, as there are obstructions to the free discharge of the water, which cannot be removed until the whole plan of the proposed drainage is before us. The existence of the Ferry road drain afforded relief in the recent flood by draining the flooded land dry in eighteen hours, instead of taking four or five days as before, by keeping Phillipstown from getting flooded, and by completely draining the land along the Ferry road, even during the height of the rain. “As a result of the cleaning-out of the drains and water-courses effected by the Board the low parts of the Avon district on the main drain were not flooded during the recent rains.” The report was considered seriatim : The various clauses of the report were approved, without discussion, and the report as a whole adopted*

A letter was read from Mr H. A. Bamford, asking for compensation for Mr Roach for a drain passing through his land at St Albans, a portion of his section having been taken. The engineer stated that the drain spoken of was some fourteen or fifteen years old. Mr Roach had stopped it up and had flooded the neighbours. He (the engineer) had instructed the men to clear out the drain. It was decided that a letter bo written in reply, stating that the work was but a temporary one, and when it was determined to make it permanent the question of compensation would be considered. A letter from Mr Hankins, Montreal street south, relative to the flooding of his section, was referred to the engineer, with power to act. A letter was read from the Heathcote Road Board asking the Board to relieve Jackson’s Creek and Phillipstown of the stagnant water which last summer was the cause of so much sickness. The matter was referred to the engineer to report upon at the next meeting. A second letter was read from the Board, asking that the dam in the new outfall drain at the end of the Gasworks road might be removed so as to allow of the water being carried off. The Board also pointed out that drain pipes left for the convenience of the Drainage Board were being stolen, and asking whe'her the Heathcote Board should take them up. The engineer stated that the dam had been removed. As to the pipes, they might be taken up, as there was no further use for them. The clerk was instructed to reply to the letter that the dam had been removed, and that the pipes referred to could be taken up, A letter was read from Mr Charles Allison, jun, calling the attention of the Board to the bad state of the drainage in Colombo street south. At present it was impossible for the residents of the district to get to town without wading through water. It was resolved that a reply be sent, stating that the engineer had cleared out the drains and pipes in the locality, which was at present all that could be done to afford relief as a temporary measure, It was, however, contemplated to carry out a permanent scheme before next winter. A letter was read from Mr B, Taaffe, pointing out that by continuing Walls’ drain through section No 655 it would benefit the district. The matter was referred to the engineer. A letter was read from Wilson, King and Co. respecting the Carlton mill race. A petition was read from the residents on Dudley’s creek, calling attention to the obstructions existing in the creek, and asking that action might be taken to remove the same, as they caused flooding of adjacent sections. The matter was referred to tha engineer to report at next meeting thereon. The report of the sub-committee appointed to confer with the solicitor as to drafting a clause to prevent waste from artesian wells, was read as follows : “ The committee beg to bring the following report for the consideration of the Board:— “ 1, Wherever, in the opinion of the Board, the water of any artesian well upon any land in the district shall be needlessly permitted to run to waste, it shall be lawful for the Board to give notice in writing to the owner and occupier of the land upon which any such well is situated, requiring him to take the necessary steps for preventing the water flowing from such well, except when absolutely required for such purposes of utility ; and any person failing to comply with such notice, or having complied therewith, thereafter permitted the water to flow needlessly from any such well shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding five pounds for every such day or portion of a day during which such water shall be so needlessly permitted to do so, “ 2. The amendments proposed in the Act by the engineer were referred to the solicitor for his opinion as to whether it be necessary to have them inserted at present, “ Fredk, Hobbs, Chairman. " August 7th, 1876.” Mr Ross moved—“ That the report of the committee be adopted.” Mr Hall seconded the motion, which was agreed to. Several accounts were passed for payment, after which the Board adjourned.