DRAINAGE BOARD.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4654, 28 January 1924, Page 3

DRAINAGE BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING OF BOARD.

The regular meeting of the Hauraki Drainage Board was. held at Turua on Friday last, when there were present: Messrs G. Gray (chairman), J. Mules, D. G. McMillan, R. Baker, and J. hGreen (clerk). TE KAURI area DRAINAGE. Mr D. Troughton wrote viawing attention to the siltation of his outlet, which was interfering with the flow of water and causing his tile drains to become blocked. As it. seemed that the present outlet would never be' satisfactory, he suggested that the board should deepen the oral drain from the outlet at the Netherton side of his .section to his centre drain. ' Members pointed out that. certain work had been done at Mr Troughton’s suggestion, but had not prove! satisfactory. The drain had not been taken down to its original depth, and Mr Troughton’s suggestipn would probably be a solution. He had gone to enormous expense in tile draining his land, and under present circumstances the tiles were useless. It was decided to defer the mattei until a special meeting to consider the coming year’s programme. CLEANING DUAL DRAINS. The Chief Drainage Engineer. Auckland, forwarded a voucher for £lO2 7s Bd, being the-board's account for cleaning drains. CHURCH LANDS. The secretary of the Turua Church Vestry wrote in reference to an account for rates, stating that Church property was exempt 10 i ates.

CLASSIFICATION. Mr C. F. Bennett, Auckanl, wrote protesting against the mannei .n which the board had treated previous communications from him with re ei en -,e t r the classification of his land. He stated that the board took an unfair advantage in not letting him know ihe date on which objections to classification were to be heard nt the Thames Court. It was only by a piece of good fortune that his farm manager happened to be in the precincts of the Court pnd heard his name called by the clerk. The case was determined and portion of his land classified under C, but not 6u acres, as set out in the board’s demand. He therefore asked for an amended demand notice setting out the exact area. The clerk reported that he had notified Mr Bennett of the position. Circumstances had changed since the former classification, and the classit:e>- considered that 60 acres of land did receive indirect benefit from the 1 card’s drainage works. After hearing evidence the magistrate decided that only 20 acres of Mr Bennett’:' 'and received this benefit under Class C. The classification list was handed to the magistrate for correction and for hi; signature on the day of the bearing, but'owing to an oversight ihe magistrate omitted to alter the classification. When the rate notices were made out the classification was copied in and the rate made up on the 60 acres, which originally appeared in the list. The mistake had now been rectified and a fresh demand sent. It was the duty of the Clerk of the Court to notify the date of the hearing of objections. Mr Bennett had since paid his rates. LOAN MONEY. The Superintendent, State Advances Office, wrote advising that the board's preliminary application for a loan of £5OO for thb purpose of improvements to drains had been en-

tertained. The clerk 'said that it was now necessary' to strike a rate as security.

TURUA AREA DRAINAGE.

Mr S. Mercer waited upon the board and asked that hi,s classification be reviewed. His sections were between the flood-gate and the river and derived no benefit from the board’s works,; still he had. to payover £5 in rates for less' than 'an acre. , The chairman pointed out that Mr Mercer was using one of the board’s drains running alongside his propertyThe valuer had considered the town sections as farm lands. Mr Mercer said that his land was flooded every spring tide. Had the flood-gate been put in at the front of ]jis land this would not happen. ; Members pointed out that he would then get flooded by the water from tlie back area when the high tide shut the flood-gate and prevented the water getting away. The sections were low-lying, and the only way to prevent flooding would be to erect The chairman said that the board c >'ild do nothing in the matter. It would be a very costly matter to put a flood-gate nearer the river. Mr Mercer considered that under the circumstances the classification be C. ■ Members pointed out that the high amount of rates was caused by the high unimproved value of the land. The area member, Mr J. Mules, thought that the rating was unjust. . The classification should be B, int stead of A. — Tn reply to a member the clonk “ stated' that the difference in the rates would be £1 17s lOd. Tt was decided, oh the motion of Mr Mules, seconded by Mr McMillan, that the sections be reclassified into Class B a,s from April 1, 1924.

TOWERS DRAIN. Mr Gray reported that the Lands Department was working on Towers Drain.

It was decided to ask the Lands Drainage Engineer to agree to the installation of a certain flood-gate at present in the board’s possession and .to. pay half the cost, the board to take full responsibility for its maintenance.

ATt was decided that all members - ~ghonld submit the estimates for improvements to the drains in their reareas to a special meeting to he held in a. fortnight.

ACCOUNTS. totalling £7l Is 8d were passed for payment.