HORAHIA DRAINAGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4906, 23 November 1925, Page 3

HORAHIA DRAINAGE.

— MEETING OF BOARD. The first meeting of the new Hprahi> Drainage Board was held at the residence of Mr F. A. Kneebone, Horahia, on Friday* there being present: Messrs J. M. Thompson, SL S. Murray, W. E. Hale, J. C. Miller, R. L. Davies, W/McDuff, F. A. Kneebone, and the clerk,' Mr. W. E. G. Willy. ■ APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS. Being the first meeting of the new board, the returning officer, Mr W. El. G. Willy, took tlie chair and called' for nominations for the office of chairman. Mr Thompson and Mr Davies nominated Mr McDuff, and Messrs Murray and Miller nominated Mr F. Kneebone. - - A ballot was take'll and Mr F. A. Kneebone was declared elected. On the motion of Mr J. C. Miller, seconded by Mr R. L. Davies, Mr W. E. G. Willy was reappointed clerk and treasurer at the same salary as previ- / ously. On the motion of Mr. W. El Hale it was decided tQ place on record the board’s appreciation of the services rendered by Mr McDuff as chairman during the past twelve months. . , ■ On the motion of Mr McDuff a vote of thanks was accorded Mr J. McKerchar for his services on the board during the past twelve months. , The chairman and secretary were authorised to operate < the board’s — banking account. When nominations, for, the office of trustee were called recently the nominations of the Kerepeehi members were delayed in the post- owing to /there being no delivery on Labour Day. : They were declared informal : by the returning officer. Application was made to have tlie two men appointed by warrant of the Governor- . General, and it was then learned that by virtue of the Acts Interpretation • Act, 1924, the time appointed for, the receipt of nominatinos was automatically extended for 24 hours when the date fell on a public holiday. FINANCE 1 . * Intimation was received that the w Government had granted the board £2OOO ; also a £ for £ subsidy of £250 for the Te Kauri outlet and a £ for £ ‘ subsidy of £lso' for the outlet dram to connect with the Willow drain.. !■■■'-// Accounts ■ totalling £75• 18s were passed for payment- . The clerk reported that the com- ' ■prehensive scheme , had cost £ll6 to date. . - ■ Arrears ,of . rates amounted to £3BO, •-and* of the current year’s .rates £165 had been received. The clerk suggested that when the 10 per cent, penalty , was imposed, and it could be imposed from" December 10, the board should take steps' to recover the outstanding money: THE : COMPREHENSIVE SCHEME, j 7 The -engineer reported/that the . Lands Department' had approved of the plans -and specifications of the board’s comprehensive scheme withrout any amendment. - ; Mr'Murray-said that he did not approve of the- route of< the outlet .fixed by the previous board to'the Hauraki Board’s-Taylor’s outlet. He had inspected the country, and agreed with ! the members of the Hauraki Board and the? settlers concerned that it would be to construct a new drain rather than to/utilise Taylor’s outlet ■ The matter was not; discussed further at the time, but was debated while the board, was in committee on other matters." Later it was decided ►l-to hold / a. special meeting on December 4 and fully discuss the whole < scheme. " One of the proposals in the comprehensive scheme w.as to construct a dr,aiii ; to connect with the Hauraki Board’s Jubilee outlet. As the Hauraki Board' would only permit this on condition that-the right to the drain was purchased, the Hofahia Board instructed its engineer to look into the •question of an alternative. ' , Mr Anderson; reported that he had located a new- drain approximately 181 chains in length to the Piako River from the back corner of Mr Dann’s section. The country east of Kerepeehi-Kopuarahi Road was almost level, and there was a substantial fall from the road to the" river. The bottom end of the suggested drain would require to be deep, and the banks should be banked on both sides. Cross drains would have to be flapped.- - Putting the drain through on the lines Suggested left a large area without a satisfactory outlet, and to provide for this a flood-gate should be , installed on Sloane’s northern boundary and about 25 chains of drain dug along the boundary between Sloane’s and Tubman’s properties. This would a give: a good outlet to all the sections in the Umutawa Block. ■ The cost, including Hoad crossings, flood-gates, etc., was estimated at £2391 9s 2d, while the cost of the previous route via the Jubilee drain was estimated to cost £2827 10s lOd. The <new arrangement, therefore, showed a sav,?ing of £436 •Is ■ Bd,. and although not such a direct route, it should give satisfactory drainage. It was arranged to discuss the matter at the special, meeting.