HAURAKI DRAINAGE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4734, 6 August 1924, Page 3

HAURAKI DRAINAGE

MONTHLY BOARD MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Hauraki Drainage Board was held no Friday last, the chairman, Mr G. Gray, presiding over Messrs J. Mules, R. Baker, R. H. Heappey, and J. E. Green, clerk. TORR’S OUTLET. Letters were received from Mr T. W. Clotworthy and Mr E. B. Hill offering to pay one quarter of the cost of opening up and fencing Torr’s outlet, it being a drain that traversed private property and which had not received any attention from the board for some time. ROADS AND DRAINS. The problem whether the County Council or the Drainage Board should pay for damage done to drains by the council’s on the roads or to the council’s roads by drainage operations -was further discussed. In regard to the Turua-Netherton road, a letter was received from the county clerk pointing out .that the condition of the board’s drain was endangering the road and asking what steps the board was taking to remedy the position. The clerk wan authorised to reply to the council stating that the board repudiated any liability for any damage done to the road, and that very considerable damage had been done fo the roadside drain at the point by the council’s operations, and that in these circumstances the board requested the council to repair the damage done to the drain. WILLOW OUTLET. Mr Baker reported that the Lands Department had completed the work inside the Willow drain floodgate, but had not fulfilled the promise to improve the channel outside the floodgate, with’the result that the water was held up and much scouring had taken place similar to that at the Towers gate. - The clerk was instructed to communicate with the Lands Drainage Engineer on the matter. A DRAIN CROSSING. Mr ,i. A. Williams applied for permission to culvert the roadside drain in front of his section. It was decided not to agree to the request but to insist that a bridge be erected, the piles to be at least four feet apart and sheathed up to the stringers. FOREMAN’S REPORT. The foreman, Mr J. McConnell, re, ported that the following work had been tarried out since the Mast meeting : Fluming at Towers and Gumtown ; gates hung at Taylor’s, Jubilee, and Carter’s Corner; filling in and timbering culverts at Taylor’s drain; timbering Piako roadside drain and two chains of Mules’ outlet. The boat had been repaired, cleaned, and tarred, end rails had been drilled and hung on Millers’, Taylor’s, and Car-, ter’s gates to prevent them from floating. Mr McConnell waited upon the board and discussed the work. He suggested that it Would probably be better to make the hinges still longer. They would probably work well if fixed .to the top of the wall. A CONFERENCE. The clerk reported that Mr W. E. G. Willy, on behalf of the committee appointed to deal with the formation of the Horahia drainage district, had asked that an informal conference be held to discuss matters that may arise between the two boards when the Horahia board came into operation, and so pave the way for an amicable agreement and save time. The conference would be absolutely informal, as the committee had no standing at present and it could not bind the proposed board. It was decided to meet the commit- 1 tee.