ORCHARD EAST ROAD.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4574, 13 June 1923, Page 2

ORCHARD EAST ROAD.

DEPUTATION TO COUNTrCOUNCIL Messrs F. L. Hamilton and J. C. Miller, junr., representing the settlers on Or,chard East Road, waited upon the > Hauraki Plains County Council at its meeting yesterday asked them, as the only incorporated for drainage, purposes. The land was for darinage purposes. - The land was recently badly flooded. Mr, Hamilton said they came to ask for assistance. The Government would not do any more work in tfie ai;ea, so the settlers purposed raising a loan of £2200 to complete the work. An area had been defined and the rating agreed upon. The drainage engineer was keen to have the work done,, and had given every facility. ? In reply to the chairman the clerk said that the wish of the ratepayers was to form a special rating area. ■This could be done by the Council on completion of . certain formalities. Mr Taylor had said that the Government would subsidise the work. i Mr Hamilton said that the Drainage Department had said that all the money obtained by the sale pf the land had been expended, so more work' ccuild not be done. They: had said that sufficient drainage had been done and they would do no more work. ~ . Cr. Madgwick said (that the Council should assist the settlers. Cr. McLoughlin maintained that -it would be creating a bad precedent. : Cr- Hayward said it was useless expecting the Department to do more work. He thought the Council should assist the settlers. ' ' Cr. Mayn said the Council should endeavour to get a subsidy. The Department was under an obligation co give effective drainage. It had not done this,. He was not against retarding progress, and wished to support the settlers. He wished to stress the point that the Department had not completed its job. The cha|rman said he thought than the Department would subsidise the work, as undoubtedly the job had not been completed. Mr Hamilton thought that if, later, a drainage board was Jdrmed the/.proposed loan would be taken into consideration at the adjustment. After the deputation had withdrawn Cr. May.n moved that the request be granted and the Department urged to give a subsidy. . Cr. Hayward seconded.; f Or. Parfitt said he was afraid that it would be a boomerang. The Government would refer future cases to the Council. Cr. Harris endorsed these remarks, but said that apparently the settlers had done all that could be done, and unless the Council helped them they would be hopelessly flooded. Cr. - Hare supported the.; previous speakers. Cr. Hayward said that subsidies should be obtained as early as possible. ’■ - The chairman said that tjie Government would demand a rate for any further work done, and settlers would have no say in the expenditure. A drainage board should be formed. Cr. Hare said that the Council should have a representative on the Land Drainage Board; Cr Harris supported, and said that al! the local bodies should urge thia.’ Cr; Miller considered that the set* tiers on Orchard East Road were losing money and unless supported would lose more. , On being put to the meeting the motion was carried.