PLAINS DRAINAGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4563, 14 May 1923, Page 1

PLAINS DRAINAGE.

MEETING AT KEREPEEHI. DRAINAGE BOARD PROPOSED. i A meeting of farmers, called by the j Kerepeehi branch l of the Dairy Farmers’ Union, was held in the Kerepeehi Hall on Firday last to discuss drainage matters. Mr W. G, Hayward presided, and there were present about 50 farmers, 'the members of the Hauraki Drainage Boara, and Mr E. Taylor, Lands Drainage Engineer. ORCHARD EAST DRAINAGE. Speaking on behalf of the settlers on Orchard East Road, Mr J. Miller and Mr F. L. Hamilton asked what •the Department was prepared to contribute towards an outlet. The excess water from sections on the KerepeehiTurua and the Kerepeehi-Kopuarahi roads was filling the Willow drain, causing it to back over the surrounding land. The Hauraki Drainage Board was receiving subsidies, but did not want to take the water. Sbme of its drains were not cleaned, arid the Orchard East Road settlers were the sufferers. Mr E. Taylor, the drainage engineer, said that there was a certain amount of flooding. The Willow and the Te Kauri drains should be deepened up to the boundary of the Crown land, so that the Department could get a fall in its drains. This would cost approximately £lOOO. He suggested that the sum of £3OO be raised by idle Hauraki Drainage Board and £2OO in the freehold area.. The Government might possibly give £5OO. The money could be raised by creating a special rating area ot by forming a drainage board. The County Council could, if necessary, administer the special rating area loan. In reply to a question, Mr Taylor said that in his opinion t,he Government should cease construction in improved areas. The land was already disposed of, and so could not be loaded with the cost. The money collected in rates was for the maintenance of roads and drains only, and in future would only be for maintenance of drains. The amount collected was not, nearly sufficient for maintenance. Mr G. Mclntosh asked if it, would not be better to bring the water into the Piako River. Mi’ Taylor said that the natural fall was to the Waihou, and there was a high ridge between the area and the Piako. It was wrong in practice to drain through high . land and against the natural fall. Mr. F. L. Hamilton said that the trouble was aggravated by the wate’’ 1 from Kerepeehi Hill going' through the culverts in the Kerepeehi-Kopua-rahi road. Mr Taylor said that these culverts were put in to take the water from the road drains tp Price’s drain. The Department could not drain freehold land. . . In reply to Mr Madgwick Mr. Taylor said that the present outlets in the east, were sufficient if the Drainage Board would keep them clea,n and deepen them. The Drainage Board had been paid more subsidy than was usual, as its drains were carrying water from Crown land. in answer to Mr W. G. Hayward Mr Taylor said that if an outlet was put down Orchard East Road it would benefit the Drainage Board, but the other drains would still have to be improved, sp only about, £lOO would,, be saved, Mr R. H. Baker said that the Drainage Board had been told that they should drain Orchard East Road. Mr Taylor said that on going into the question he had found that this drain would be long and costly, so he did not advocate it. The chairman and, the clerk to the Hauraki Drainage Board outlined the histpry of the Te Kauri drain, and said that it was built according to specifications supplied by the Department The clerk read a great, deal of correspondence between the Department and the Board dealing with the constiuction of drains and subsidies. Mr Madgwick said that this proved that the Board had not received more than it was entitled to. Mr Taylor said that though the Board was entitled to a subsidy the some proprietary right over the drains as therje was Crown land to be drained. In reply to Mr Hamilton Mr D. G. McMillan said that the petition asking for one drainage board ■ for the whole area between the two rivers had been sent to Mr J. B. Thompson,. Chief Lands Drainage Engineer, but nothing had been heard since. Mr McMillan advocated another outlet.. The No. 2 drain was overloaded, and the water from the KerepeehiNgatea road would always go to the Waihou River and flood the land unless another outlet was provided. He had been blamed for stopping the deepening of the No. 2 Te Kauri drain, but, in his opinion, if the drain had been deepened one foot it would have slipped in for the whole length as the batter was not sufficient, although built to the Department a specifications. Mr Hayward asked if it would not H e t.o the advantage of the Drainage Board, to put in works to prevent water going through its lands. Mr Gray said that they had spent £2lo'o to carry water from Crown lands on which they had received a subsidy of £550. Mr Taylor said that Mr Gray had overlooked the subsidy of £2500. Mr Gray said that the £2500 was not a subsidy, but a grapt. Mr Taylor said that it must not be disregarded, and it was given because the Crown land benefited. Mr A. Rogers said that Mr| O. !T. Campbell had said that the Depart-

ment had finished draining in certain arn as, and that he had advocated the formation of a drainage board. He suggested that meetings should be held in various centres to appoint representative men, who would meet as a temporary board to consider, tfie formation of a drainage board, witn the idea of amalgamating with the Ha.iraki Drainage Board and forming one big board to control all the area between the twp rivers. Mr Taylor said that his department, favoured the formation of drainage boards. The necessary procedure would be to present, a petition to the Minister of Internal Affairs. If there were any Objectors to the formation of a board a Royal Commission would be appointed to go into the matter. Mr G. Mclntosh said that, the rehiedy, but not the cause, was being discussed. Price’s drain was to blame. Mr Taylor said that Price’s drai i was put in,as an outlet for the Kere-peehi-Ngatea road drains, and it. was sufficient for that. Numerous slips had occurred in it, bu,E at no time was it blocked. In answer to a question Mr Tayloi said that the Department could, but was not anxious to prosecute settle! s for allowing drains tp be damaged. The Drainage Department was a construction department, and it was not intended that it should maintain drains for ever. Drainage boards should be formed tp do this. To test the feeling of the Yneeting Mr A. Rogers moved: “That this meeting is of the opinion that it is desirable and in the interests of the settlers concerned that they assume control .of the drains, outlets, floodgates, etc., and would urge upon the settlers concerned in the area the desirability of holding meetings with the view to appointing representatives to further the scheme.” Mr G. Mclntosh seconded the motion. In reply t,o a question by Mr Rogers

Mr Taylor said that the Orongo Settlement would be included in the area. They would become , rateable unless the drainage board exempted them. Mr Shilton suggested that Orongo be excluded from the area. Mr Rogers stated that this was a matter to be decided at a latep stage. Mr Taylor said that if the action suggested by the motion was carried out a commission would define the area. On the motion being put to the meeting it was carried by 21 votes to 2. ' . Messrs A. Rogers; J. Nicholson, .1 C. Miller, and W. McDuff were appointed to call meetings in the various centres to discuss the matter and appoint representatives to approach the Hauraki Drainage Board. It was'pointed out' that if there was no opposition to the scheme from the settlers or the Drainage Board there would’be no need for the commission. The meeting was then declared closed, but the settlers from the Orchard East area remained to further discuss ‘their troubles with M r Taylor. After a little discussion it was suggested that Mr Taylor go into the matter and meet the settlers again. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to Mr Taylor and the chairman.