HORAHIA DRAINAGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4963, 19 April 1926, Page 4

HORAHIA DRAINAGE.

REGULAR BOARD MEETING. GOOD PROGRESS MADE. Ths Horahia Drainage Board met on Thursday, Mr F. A. Kneebone presiding over Messrs J. M. Thompson, R. L. Davies, W. McDuff, S. S. Murray, J. C. Miller, W. E’. Hale, and the clerk, Mr W. E> G. Willy. COMMISSION GRANTED. The assistant Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs, wrote ■under date March 24 advising that a Commission, consisting of Mr L. B. Campbell, district engineer, Public Works Department, Auckland, had been set up to consider the question of the amalgamation of the Horahia and Hauraki drainage districte. Further in'formaiion could be obtained direct from Mr L. B. Campbell. Mr Campbell also wrote advising that Ire would like to have the inquiry finished during the month of May. The board was to' submit suitable dates. | . LOAN GRANTED. The Bank of New Zealand, Thames, advised that a limit .of £soo'o against the hypothecation of £lO,OOO worth of debentures had been approved subject to the board obtaining ,the consent of the Minister df Finance to the interest' rate of 6% per cent. LOAN WORK. The Hauraki Plains County Council advised that permission had been .granted to ins-ta,! a culvert under the Kerepeehi-Kopuarahi road opposite the boundary of Messrs, McDuff's and Louch’s sections. Tenders were received for the construction of the culvert, but were considered too’high and were not accepted, the board deciding 'that the. work should be done fry day labour under the foreman, Mr E. Flavell. Tenders for the construction oE the new drain between McDuff’s a,nd Lo.ucli's land were received from H. Sparrow (£766 17is 9d), G. Phillipa (£543), and N. C. Sweet (£477 10s). The engineer’s estimate was, £462 10s. The lowest tender w.a t s accepted. For the Willow Drain extension the tenders were : J. Spelnce, £394 17s 6d ; J. A. Btennett, £36o'; N. C. Sweet, ..£330 ; G. Phillips, £290. The lowest tender Was accepted, it being £1 under the estimate., ■ , £■ The . chairman reported that, to-/ ge,ther with Mr S. S'. Murray, he had interviewed Mr 0. T’aipara. on the matter of the proposed outlet through the Kaipapaka Block. The landowner now. waived all, objections to the boa.rd’s proposal, provided it provided another road cropping, making four in all. . ■lt was decided to call tenders, for the erection of a floodgate, it being understood that no tender would be accepted until an agreement with Mr Taipai'a, had been completed. The tenders would close at the end cfc the month and be dea,lt with by the Northern Area members;. \ It was also decided to call tenders for the construction of the HudsonChristie drain, Sloane’s drain, the drain across Taipara.’®, and the drain across, H. Johnstone’si. The tenders , would close on May 20, and the work i must be completed by August 31. FENCING OF DRAIN, W. Greenway wrote, .advising .that the board would ofily be permitted to ■ deepen a ( nd widen that portion of ■ Willow Tree drain through his land j on assenting to an’ agreement on ■ lines submitted by him. The terms i of the agreement stipulated how the spoil was to be left and how' a fence was to be erected. The fence was to be of five wires, three, pos,ttsi and five ; battens to the chain. The battens and wife were on the ground'. He would supply 15' new posts and .the board would have to supply a ( ny ’further posts required. The matter was discussed at length ‘ and left in the hands of the chairman. 1 PIPES. Arising out of the discussion, on road crossings, it was pointed, out that tlie board should order a big quantity of pipes. It was estimated •that 76 4ft pipes would be required in the near future. , . The secretary was instructed to ma-kb extensive inquiries as to supplies and costs. TEI KAURI DRAIN FENCING. Mr R. L. Davies reported having conferred with members df the Hau- | raki Drainage Board in regard to the fencing of the Te Kauri No. 2 drain where it bounds Mr Fox’pi farm. Mr McMillan had suggested that the Horahia Board should contribute, half the cost of the wire and .the HaiUraki J ,

Board the other half.—Agreed to.

ACCOUNTS. i The payment* of accounts totalling i£37o 10s. 2d for contracts completed ‘and certified to by the ( foreman was, .-approved and the payment of accounts totalling £32 15s 3d wa.s authorised. BALANCE-SHEET. The clerk presented the balanceisEieet for the year ending March 31, ■19.26. It showed that the credit balance a.t the beginning of the year was £424 12s 3d, and at the end ot! the year £1535 17s 2d . The. receipts which included general rates for 192425, £11.42 Is 9d, and for 1925-26, £l7Ol Os lOd, with 10 per cent, penalty on rates £3l 10s. 4d, totalled £3332 14s 4d. ' The statement of a,ssets and-' liabilities showed assets totalling £lB9O 18s lOd and liabilities. £36 4s 9d. The statement of rateis collected .showed that ter the year 1924-25 with the exception of £lBO 18s 9d all of the rate, struck. (£1873 19s 6d) had been collected, and for the year 1925-26 the Amount not co'llected out'of £l7Ol 0s lOd was £l74' Is, lid. Native rates.formed the, bulk,of that outstanding.