NGATEA FARMERS’ UNION

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4743, 27 August 1924, Page 1

NGATEA FARMERS’ UNION

DRAINAGE OF LAND. NGATEA EAST AREA. A special meeting of the Ngatea branch of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union was held on Monday evening to discuss drainage matters with Mr E. Tayloi. Lands Drainage Engineer. Mr J. Bratlie presided over an attendance of twelve members. Mr W. G. Hayward, on behalf of the settlers on Orchard East. Road, asked the Drainage Engineer if the drain from McDuff’s to the bridge could be relieved, as it overflowed when the flood-gate was closed for any length of time. Mr Taylor replied that there was certainly too much water in the roadside drain, but the drain could not be closed unless another outlet was opened. Roadside drains were unsatisfactory, as they could not be enlarged. The new drainage board was going to go into a comprehensive scheme and was getting a big Government subsidy. He would suggest that the new board, or the settlers, employ a competent engineer to bring down a comprehensive scheme. The department had made the flood-gate on Mr Louch’s property extra large so that it could be used for a big outlet if required. Mr Hayward said that the new drainage board was not yet formed, and iie personally was against the proposal unless a bigger subsidy than £2OOO was forthcoming.

Mr Taylor said that the department could not raise funds for capital expenditure on the area, whereas the board would be in a position to do so.

Mr Hayward said the point was that the department was bringing the floodwater down from the upper area while the local stormwater was still on the land, so that nothing the drainage bvard could do w;ou!d relieve the position until the river was improved.

Mr Taylor stated.-that about half a million cubic yards would require to be removed from the river between Ngatea and Kaihere and much work would be done from Ngatea down tb Horahia Bend.

Coming back to the original question, Mr Hayward asked if it was not possible for the drain discharging at Lough’s flood-gate to be extended to tap the Kerepeehi roadside drain. Mr Taylor said that this could not be called maintenance.

Mr Bratlie pointed out that Kerepeehi and the Horahia-Opou area water was being, sent into .the Orchard East Road drain, with the result 'that the farms near the bridge had been flooded every winter during the past four years. s

Mr Hayward thought it was not unreasonable to ask the department to provide another outlet for the water from the other side of the watershed. It was of no use providing large floodgates at the bridge, because they would not open when the river "was high.

Mr Taylor stated that he had not the power to do more than, maintenance in the area. The new drainage board when formed, could do the job. It was obvious that more drains were required in every area. The department should have ceased capital expenditure long ago, but had kept on until now a firm stand had to be taken. In the initial stages of land drainage it was necessary to make roadside drains, as settlers desired to bring in the front of their sections first and in many cases could not afford to make drains to the back of their sections. At a later stage outlets should be made at the back of the sections, and the time for this had arrived. It wap now a question of ways and means, and the formation of the drainage board was the solution. It could rate all elapses of landowners alike.

The question was further discussed and much information of interest tb the settlers concerned wap given, after which Mr Taylor was 'accorded a hearty vote of thanks for having attended.

In reply Mr Taylor said that he whs always pleased to meet settlers, flor such conferences led to a much better understanding of the many problems.