RIVERS IMPROVEMENT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4431, 23 June 1922, Page 3

RIVERS IMPROVEMENT.

allocation of cost. DRAINAGE BOARD'S OPINION, When the matter of. representation on the Thames Valley Drainage Reference Board came up for discussion at a meeting oil the Hauraki Drainage Board at Turua yesterday reference was made of the allocation of the cost of the Waihou and Ohinemurl Rivers Improvement Scheme. Mr. Heappy said £300,000 of the improvements were to be paid by the Government .and the Hauraki Plains County Council would have to pay 33 1-6 rd per cent, of the remainder. He maintained that the County Council should be urged to object to the allocation. Probably at the pext meeting of; the Thames Valley Drainage Reference Board the allocations would be discussed. The burden of £lOO,OOO on a county which was getting the least benefit was a large sum. Paeroa Borough was getting the most benefit, and their allocation had been reduced and Waihi’s increased. He could not see why the Commission had increased Waihi’s allocation on a fallipg revenue. Mr. McMillan said the Board would have to be alert ’on this matter. Some portion of the County would be hit very hard if. it had to find £lOO,OOO. Mr. Baker said that with all the rates coming on the land (rivers improvement, a proposed fiesh water scheme, tarred roads, and so forth) they .would be better off if they walked off their land. Mr. McMillan said dredging was the solution of the rivers drainage problem. Mr. Heappy said the Department, would probably be putting another dredge on the scheme. Messrs Baker and McMillan were elected additional delegates with the present delegates (Messrs Heappy and Gray) to attend the Thames Valley Drainage Reference Board meeting in Paeroa.