DRAINAGE BOARD.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4557, 30 April 1923, Page 2

DRAINAGE BOARD.

MEETING AT TURUA. A meeting of the Hauraki Drainage Board was held in the Turua Buildings on Friday last. Mr G. Gray presided, and there were present: Messrs R. H. Heappy, J. Mules, R. Baker, D. G. McMillan, and the clerk (Mr J. E. Green). The “Gazette” report of the previous meeting was read as minutes and confirmed, and the minutes of a special meeting, held on March 27, at which Mr F. E. Hughes, of Waharoa, was appointed classifier to the board, I were also confirmed. j Miss T. Torr waited upon the Board and complained, thrt wt/ei- was coming into her section from the back country through a road culvert. Mr McMillan suggested that the culvert or the drain at the boundary of private property could be blocked. Miss Torr said that if this was done -the roadside drain would overflow. She asked that the Board clean | this drain. j Considerable discussion between : Miss Torr and members of the Board ensued, and the chairman explained that the functions of the B c ’ al ’d were I to give settlers an cutlet, but it was I not. their business to drain farms. Some settlers had very few drains on or alongside their property, but the | rates they paid were for the drains . to the river, as well as those affecting them. In regard to water coming ; across country, this was no concern of the Board’s, whose function it was | to merely provide an outlet, but no drains could cope with a rainfall of nearly eight inches in 24 hou”s. 'After Miss Torr had withdrawn t,hc matter- was discussed at length members being of the opinion that complainant was suffering to a certain extent from water coming through the culvert, and that it should be blocked, as an outlet was provided further along the road. Finally it was decided, on the motion of Mr Gray, seconded by Mi Mules-, that the culvert should be blocked and the Oparia Road drain from the floodgate to Mules’ and Clotworthy’s boundary should be improvH. Mrs M. Markham also waited upon the Board, and asked that the road drain in front, of her section be cleaned to the boundary drain. The Board assured her that the matter would be considered, and Mrs Markham withdrew. After considering the matter Mr Heappy moved that, iiothing.be done, as an outlet had already been provided by pipes, and tiiat the rates collected from the adjacent area in no way met the cost of the work already done. —Seconded by Mr McMillan and carried. Mr E. Booth waited v. o-n tlic Board and asked for an outlet for his farm, which was flooded. Mr Gray explained that it was the duty of the man who cut up a farm to provide outlets for the subdivisions. Certain drains had been provided, and the Board would maintain the drains if the settlers were prepared to he rated for maintenance. It was decided that when the drain was fenced.on both sides the Board would be prepared to contribute, one-third of the cost of opening the drain oil condition that the original land owner contributed one-third and the present occupiers the remainder, and that the Board would maintain the drain if the settlers agreed to an increase in classification to meet the cost of such maintenance. Details in connection with the cleaning of drains were arranged, and progress payments totalling, roughly, £75, were passed for payment. Members expressed the opinion that now that the drains were cleaned and in good order fencing should be strict-. ]y enforced. The clerk was instructed to obtain, one ton of English barbed wire and a keg of staples.