DRAINAGE BOARD.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1434, 20 September 1878, Page 3

DRAINAGE BOARD.

The usual meeting of the Drainage Board was held at the Board offices, Hereford street, at half-past ten o’clock this morning. Present —Messrs Tancred (chairman),Hobbs, Hall, Harman, Ross, Blakiston. chairman’s action. The Chairman stated that he had forwarded a draft at sixty days’ sight homo for flic interest on loan. There was now about £9OO in the bank, so that they did not have to overdraw. The action of the chairman was approved. CEMENT. The Chairman stated that he and Mr Harman had been empowered to select the tender for cement. They had done so in conjunction with the engineer, and had selected that of Mr Turner, whose brand was better than that of any of the other tenderers. The other brands might turn out very well. As they well knew, bad cement was absolutely worth nothing. The cement selected was a particularly good brand. The terms were 19s 8d per cask in Matheson’s store. The seal was affixed to the contract, also to that in reference to the supply of pipes. engineer’s report. The following report was read; — With the appr val of the Board I propose now to call for tenders for the construction of all the brick sewers north of the river, including also two of the principal lines of pipe sewer conditionally on the receipt by the Board of the pipes already contracted for. Satisfactory progress is being made with the Ferry road storm outlet sewage, and with the timber lining of the mouth of Bell’s creek. I have delayed treating with re idents on reserves 6 and 52 for the right to lay a line of pipes from Merivale lane to the river, until the plan is decided on wh.ch Rural B'ection 6 is going to bo cut up. It is now being surveyed i understand for that purpose. Owing to illness I have not been able to attend to several matters referred to the engineer at the last meeting of the Board. C. N. Bell, Engineer. The engineer stated that the cost of the work referred to in the first clause would come to about £II,OOO. The report was approved. The engineer explained what progress was being made with the Ferry road drains, SYDENHAM. A letter was read from the Sydenham Borough Council, asking the Board for an explanation or understanding as to what particular work was to be done by each Board. The Council expressed its willingness to have an interview with the Board on the subject. The chairman, Mr Duncan, and Mr Hobbs were appointed a committee to confer with the Sydenham Borough Council. FENDALTOWN ROAD. A letter was read from the Riccarton Road Board, asking the Board to take steps to relieve the Fcndaliown road from storm water. Referred to the engineer to report upon. DEODORIZATION OF MANURE. A letter was read from Mr Burt, of Dunedin, enclosing an extract from a Dunedin paper. The Board resolved to wait and see the result of the experiments in Dunedin before taking any action in the matter. RHODES’ L4ND. A petition was read from Messrs Philpott and others, asking the Board to give them some relief from the bad drainage which existed on the above land. They asked that it might be drained into the canal. The engineer said that the land ought to be drained at the expense of the owners. Mr Harman did not think the Board should be called on to do more than provide the main arterial drainage. Referred to the engineer to report upon. FERRY ROAD.

A letter was read from Mr W. Lucas complaining of injury done to his property on the Ferry road through the works which the Board were carrying on in the district. He requested that a stop might bo put to those works at once, as a number of his trees had been cut down, and damage had been done to his property to the extent of £IOO. The engineer stated that the drain that was being made was doing Mr Lucas a benefit. The damage to the trees referred to did not amount to 10s. It was a grazing paddock, with a few willow trees in it, where the alleged damage had been done. The work had now been finished. He had considered it advisable to go through Mr Lucas’s land in order to straighten the water-course. It was resolved to write to Mr Lucas, and explain that all water courses and drains were vested in the Board, and, further, that the straightening of the drain in question was rather a benefit than an injury to the land. The Board would decline to recognise the claim for compensation. The Board added that they trusted the writer would come to the same conclusion as themselves. BRIDGE WANTED. A letter was read from Mr Thomas Baggers, of the Ferry road, asking that a bridge might bo placed across the drain leading to his place, next to Manning’s Brewery. Referred to the Engineer, with power to act. SOUTH TOWN BELT. A letter was read from Mr R. 1). Thomas, on behalf of Messrs Coker and Baxter, of the Hazeldean road, complaining of an open drain which had been cut through their land a short time ago. It was close to Mr Fisher’s land. They had written on the same subject on a previous occasion, but had received no satisfaction. The writer added that the present communication was forwarded without prejudice to any proceedings that might eventuate. The Engineer stated that the Board had not cut the drain in question, it was cut fourteen or fifteen years ago. The Board_ had, however, cleared it out. Tno complaiuai.fs wished the Board to shift the draiu to the Hazeldean roadside. It was resolved to reply that the Board would be willing to entertain any proposal from Messrs Coker and Baxter—so long as the expense was borne by them. FATAL' UI. A letter was read from Mr H. G reer, complaining of tiio state of the drain running through his land in Papanui, and staling that unless something was shortly done by the Board ho should close the drain up—the consequence of which he would not answer for.

The Engineer stated that Mr Greer had previously written on the same subject. _ The work was onu which did not come within tho

province of tho Board at all* Mr Greer wanted the drain straightened to suit his own paddocks. The matter was deferred until the next Board day, Mr Hall, in the meantime, promising to personally in°pcct the drain, and see Mr Greer on the subj -ct. A DEPUTATION. Mr Dow wailed upon the Board as a deputation from himself, and asked that a bridge might bo made to allow him to get access to his section 1705, in the New Brighton district. Ho described how he suffered great hardship, and had to go seven or eight miles round to get to his land for want of the bridge. The engineer had promised a bridge six months ago, but no steps had been taken. The deputation very strongly urged his claim, and the Board resolved to grant the request, on the motion of Mr Hall, seconded by Mr Harman. The deputation thanked the Board, and withdrew. OAK All RESERVE. A letter was read from Mr Brooks, complaining of cattle trespassing on his land near the canal reserve, by getting over the drain belonging to the Board. Referred to the engineer, A CLAIM I'OE DAMAGE. A letter was read from Mr Thomas Gager, complaining of his land having been injured through the drain in Ferry road, and making a claim of £2OO for the same. It, was resolved to request Mr Duncan, who is now in Dunedin, to look into the case on his return, and report at the next meeting. section 94. A letter was received from Mr H. Cookson, of Section 94, Fendaltown, asking that the Board would do something to abate the nuisance of bad drainage on his land. Referred to the engineer to report. PETITION. A petition was re d from Mr F. Pavitt and others of the Ferry road, asking the Board to carry the water from the Ferry road drain to a point a little lower than was contemplated in the present scheme. Mr Harman said a similar application had been previously made, and had been fully considered by the Board, ft was resolved to reply that the Board had fully considered the matter on a previous occasion, and saw no reason to alter the decision they had come to on that occasion. A letter was read from Mr Hackett of the Wairarapa load near Papanui, asking the Board to make a drain to drain his land. The mutter was referred to the Engineer as was also a letter from a resident of “Preston’s land ” who wanted a culvert. HAREWOOD ROAD. A letter from Mr Matson on the subject of bad drainage in the Harowood road was referred to the Engineer with power to act. ACCOUNTS. A number of accounts were passed, after which (he Board adjourned.