DRAINAGE BOARD.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4718, 30 June 1924, Page 2

DRAINAGE BOARD.

MEETING AT TURUA. The regular meeting o£ the Hauraki Drainage Board was held at Turua on Friday last, Mr G. Gray presiding over Messrs R, H. Heappey, J. Mules, D. G. McMillan, R. Baker, and J. ®. Green (clerk). FOREMAN'S REPORT. The foreman, Mr McConnell, reported having visited Ngatea and inspected the-Lands Department’s floodgates. He had constructed three 3ft gates of totara timber and had fitted them to replace broken concrete ones. The gates were working well, but in his opinion would be better if made of ironbark, as this timber would not float like totara. Timber for the erection of fluming at the Gumtown and the Towers outlets had come to hand, and the fluming at the Towers would be completed by the week-end. WOODEN FLOOD-GATES. The chairman reported that the foreman had constructed a wooden flood-gate on the type adopted by the Lands Department and had fitted it at the Towers outlet. It had been found that the wooden gate proved too light, and tended to open too readily. When weighted the gate worked splendidly. A Lands Department surveyor had made a suggestion for improving the hinges which he thought would be a great improvement. He suggested that another wooden .gate with hinges as suggested be constructed and fitted as a further experiment. The cost would not be more than £5. Mr Baker said that a wooden gate had been fitted at the Thames Valley outlet and was working satisfactorily. Mr McMillan reported that the concrete flood-gate at .the Willow drain had been broken, with the result that the tide came in and went up the drain for a great distance. It was decided to instruct the foreman to fit a wooden flood-gate as soon as possible. ROADSIDE DRAIN. The clerk reported that no reply had been received from the county engineer hi regard to the damage done to the roadside drain westward from Carter's Corner. The Press report stated that the council repudiated responsibility. Mr Heappey said it would cost a considerable sum to rebatter the drain, and injiis opinion the board should take steps to compel the council ty pay for the damage it had caused. The engineer had said that the bank on the other side of the drain had slipped, and this was undoubtedly caused by the slips from the roadside diverting the current against the other bank. The council had admitted liability in similar cases, and unless tile liability for the damage under review was fixed the council might claim damages from the board when the slips extended to the metalled portion of the road. It was decided to meet tne council in conference on the matter. DRAIN BRIDGES. Mr E. A. Scott, Tyrua, wrote complaining that a bridge leading to his .section had’been removed without his authority during cleaning operations and had not been replaced. Mr J. Mules reported that the drain liad slipped badly, and required laying back. The fence had to be shifted back, and this had been done. The bridge was in such a state that -t could not be re-erected. Only one stringer was sound when the bridge was dismantled, and it was more of an obstruction to the water thaw an efficient thoroughfare.

A legal opinion was read by tiie clerk to the effect that the board was undei’ no obligation to replace bridges rendeied useless by the widening of drains. The board was not obliged to notify landowners of its intention to widen roadside drains, nor was it liable for any inconvenience caused or expense incurred in replacing bridges. He also read a. Press clipping ol an opinion given by Mr Walton to the Hauraki Plains County Council on the ownership ot roadside drains.

Mr Mules said that the board should adopt standard specifications governing the erection of bridges. It was necessary that the piles be sheathed to prevent the banks falling in. under bridges.

It was decided that any bridges put across the board’s drains must be approved of by the board and the work carried out in accordance with its .specifications.

In regard to Mr Scott’s bridge, it was decided that if he provided the material to build a bridge according to the board’s specifications the board would have the structure erected. Mr Baker drew attention to the state of a bridge near the Willow Drain flood-gate. He moved that the landowner be given notice to replace the bridge according to tiie board’s specifications, as at the present time it was a serious obstruction to the water. If the landowner refused or delayed, the board could then take action against him for having caused an obstruction in the drain. Seconded by Mr Heappey and carried. OUTSTANDING RATES. The clerk was instructed to ask’the board’s solicitor to take immediate action to recover certain outstanding rates.