HORAHIA DRAINAGE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4885, 2 October 1925, Page 1

HORAHIA DRAINAGE

OUTLET THROUGH HAURAKI AREA DETAILS OF THE PRQPOSAL. The Horahia Drainage Board forwarded to the Hauraki Drainage Board on Friday last details of the outlets which it was suggested should be made through the Hauraki area to the W,aihou River. ' These proposed drains would, it was stated, for the most part take only w’ater that at present went through the Hauraki area, but by increasing the number of outlets the area would be unwatered more quickly, and consequently all, land now using the present dual drains wo.uld receive benefit. The Ngataipua Road drain was taking water from 350 cares. Taylor’s outlet when extended would drain 390 acres of the Horahia area. The estimate for the new drain, rebattering the old drain, culverts, crossing, fenejng, timbering, and a new floodgate was £lll3 6s Bd.

The suggestion was that the Hauraki Board should contribute half the cost of a new culvert, half the fencing, half the 300 ft of timbering at the flood-gate, half the cost of a new flood-gate .as the present gate was collapsing, and half the cost of maintenance of the constructed drain, whidli was estimated at £351 10s. The Hprahia Board understood that .this drain would have to be timbered at no very, distant date, and that the gate frame was a very doubtful proposition at the present time.

The Piako Road drains would drain ■5lO acres of' the Horahia area, and the Jubilee ' drain when extended from the boundary at .a cost of £857 'ss 4d would serve 670 acres. Of this the Hauraki Board was asked to contribute half the cost of two culverts., half the fencing, half the cost of? the new flood-gate, and half the maintenance. The cash contribution asked was £231 19s 6d, •" . '

The Soldiers’ drain and-the East roadside drains would empty into the Willow..drain extension and serve 470 and 350. acres, .respectively, of the Horahia area.

The Te Kauri No. .1 and Thames Valley outlets would serve 160 acres of Horahia area, and the improvements necessary were estimated at £974 6s, of which the Horahia Board offered £5OO towards the construction and 40 per cent, of the maintenance when constructed.

The Opou drain and the Willow drain (southern end) would serve 355 and 445 acres, respectively, of Horahia. The wiiarepoa Road drains would serve 220 acres on the north side and 250 acres on the isouth side. Improvements were estimated to cost £l5O, and the suggestion of the Horahia Board w,as that each board should find half that amount.

* The total cost of the five drains for which the Hauraki Board was asked to contribute £1132 15s 6d was £3200. Plans, specifications, and estimates ajs ■prepared by the Horahia Board’s engineer were, forwarded.

It was intended to submit a loan proposal to the Horahia ratepayers, and the works mentioned were .those that were outside the Horahia drainage district, and any arrangement come to would be subject to a poll being carried authorising the work. The Horahia Board would be glad if a conference could be arranged with a view to arriving at something definite regarding the work and the allocation of costs.

Mr Gray said he considered that the letter was only a “feeler.” Mr McMillan suggested that the letter be merely received. Mr Baker said he 'would never agree to paying 60 per cent, and the Horahia Board 40 per cent, of the cost of cleaning any drain. Mr Heappey said the whole matter was dependent on the carrying of a loan poll, and until that poll w’as carried it was of no use considering the matter. He asked how tin? Hauraki Board would raise its share of the money. .

Mr McMillan said the position wais impossible, and the Horahia Board knew.it. A scheme for spending £974 6s to provide drainage tor 160 acres condemned itself.

Mr Heappey said that if the Horahia Board had offered to grant compensation for the drains to be used the matter could have been considered. Mr Baker thought that the Horahia Board had not been asked for anything concerning the cost, but merely for details. p.f the proposed work. The clerk said that this was not so. He read a copy of his letter, and pointed out that every question had been answered except the one which asked what credit (if any) the Horahia Board was prepared to allow the Hauraki Board in respect of the work already dbne in the drains proposed to be utilised. On the motion of Mr McMillan, seconded by Mr Baker, it w|as decided that the letter be merely received until such time as that question was answered.