DRAINAGE IN THE AVON DISTRICT.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1939, 12 May 1880, Page 3

DRAINAGE IN THE AVON DISTRICT.

A meeting of ratepayers of the Avon District was held in the Biugsland schoolroom last evening, to take into consideration the reply of the Drainage Board to resolutions passed by a former meeting of the ratepayers of that district. There was a very fair attendance, Mr J. Grierson in the chair. The Chairman read the advertisement calling the meeting, and said he should bo happy to hear what any member of the meeting had to say on the subject before them. He then read the resolutions passed at the meeting held in that room during the previous month, as well as the official replies received by him from the Drainage Board. Both the resolutions and replies referred to appeared in the local press. They were considered by the meeting seriatim. Mr Fief her, as the mover of the first resolution at the former meeting, said there was no ground for the excuses offered by the Drainage Board, who had no good reason for acting as they had done in reference to the financial statement. At the same time, the matter having been ventilated, he did not see that a,iy further action could be taken by this meeting. In considering the second resolution, Mr Kerr remarked that the Drainage Board bad entirely ignored what had been specially referred to their notice. The resolution which be (Mr Kerr) moved was a protest against their neglect of this particular portion of the district, whereas the reply from the Board dealt with the drainage of the Avon district as a whole. If the Board could afford to squander £6 0 in the letting of a contract, as shown in a recent case, thaj ought to be able to afford a much smaller amount than that for settling the just claims of the district in reference to drainage. He would move the following resolution:—“That, inasmuch as the Drainage Board have entirely ignored the reasonable request preferred by the ratepayers for the execution of necessary drainage works in the suburb of Bingsland, this meeting considers their reply very unsatisfactory; and that a deputation be appointed to represent the claims of this portion of the district to the Drainage Board ; such deputation to consist of Messrs. Kerr, Wilson, Flesher, Swan, Hubbard, and the chairman ” It was quite out of the question to pay rates and get no commensurate return, and it was necessary that the people who paid in that way should stand np for their rights, and show that they were determined to have them recognised. Mr Wilson, chairman of the Avon Hoad Board, seconded the motion, and remarked ihat in such meetings they should try to avoid being altogether onesided. Ho pointed out that perhaps the Drainage Board considered there was a greater necessity for proceeding rorth than east with the drainage scheme in the Avon district, the whole of that district being com-p-ehended in Mr Clark’s scheme. This question, however, could be put to tbe Board, that they might give their reasons for the course they had adopted. With regard to surface drainage, that was another matter. If there were no surface drains made where they ought to be in this portion of the district, then the Board had neglected their duty. But this must be shown. For his part he thought if the truth of tho matter was arrived at, it would bo found that the Drainage Board were not so bsd as they were painted. Possibly they (tho people) would find themselves constrained to take up a middle course, between the violence of Mr Ollivier and the laxity, perhaps, of some others In this direction, the figures put forward by the Board were involved, as well as the competency of the author of the scheme, i 1 carrying out which a good deal of money had been spent, and here he said he could not see why the power sought to be obtained by the Board in tho proposed Bill should not ho given. Mr Wilson then procoeeded to review the action of tho Board in giving effect to the scheme of drainage, and concluded by adverting again to supposition that the district would eventually receive its fair share of advantage from the general scheme. Ee should, however, bo glad to represent any real grievance that presented itself. Mr Lewis said the ratepayers of Bingsland wanted provision made for carrying off tho surface water. This was a grievance that ho had to complain of, in the face of being compelled to contribute a rate of lid in the £,. Mr Flesher submitted with regard to tho latter-portion of Mr Wilson’s remarks, that before the Hoad Boards were recommended to seek tho control of tho surface drainage, the question should be thoroughly gone into, with tho object of discovering how far the "barge would bo beneficial to the district affected. With reference to the rate levied, he would point out that but for the introduction of an amending Act, they would only have had to pay 8d instead of lid in the £, and they should be careful, therefore, about making alterations in financial arrangements till they were certain what effect they would produce. Mr Flesher then proceeded to show how the surface drainage had been neglected, explaining that in one instance a circuitous and expensive route had been taken, which missed draining a considerable portion of land, although it was pointed out to the engineer that a direct line to the river could have been _ taken by passing through a few chains of private land, and the last named and more efficient route would not have been more expensive. All they wanted was relief, no matter how it was found. Unless they got a fair share of the borrowed money they would be liable to pay their share of the debt without getting any benefit from it If the present srptom went on he did not hesitate to say it would bo nothing more nor less-.ban a legalised robbery of the poor population of this district.

The resolution was then put to the meeting and carried nem con.

Tho replies given by the Board to the third and fourth resolutions were next considered, but did not elicit discussion. Another resolution sent to tho Board ns to the condition of the Avon called forth tho reply that the terms of the contract for clearing tho river would ho strictly enforced. This concluded the lift of the resolutions sent to tho Drainage Board. Mr Fiesher introduced tho question of the representation of tho district on the Drainage Board, remarking that in his opinion one member was not sufficient for a district of the extent and importance of the Avon. Ho moved—- “ That in the opinion of this meeting the Avon district is entitled to an additional representative on the Drainage Board, and that the Road Board bo requested to take all the necessary steps to secure the same.” Mr Hubbard seconded the motion.

Mr Wilson admitted the justice of the claias’ as shown by facta and figures given by the mover of the motion, which ho (Mr Wilson) should be happy to support. The motion was then put to the meeting and carried unanimously. Mr Broadley moved, and Mr Swan seconded —“ That in the opinion of this meeting the interests of ratepayers will be bettor promoted by the Eoad Board ceasing to collect the drainage rate, thereby enabling the ratepayers to bring greater pros' ure to bear on those who expend the rate levied.” After discussion, the resolution was carried, and, on the motion of Mr Kerr, it was resolved L at a copy of the foregoing resolution be sent to the Chairman of the Avon Eoad Board. Mr Green drew attention to the fact of the Drainage Board appointing one man (Mr Summerhays) to make house connections with the main drains, characterising it as an arbitrary measure. The Chairman pointed out that the question could scarcely he entertained at that meeting. A vote of thanks was then passed to the chairman, and the meeting dispersed.