HORAHIA DRAINAGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4978, 24 May 1926, Page 3

HORAHIA DRAINAGE.

MONTHLY BOARD MEETING. The regular meeting of the Horahia Drainage Board was held at Horahia on Thursday, Mr F. A. Kneebone presiding over Mosers R. L. Davies, W. McDuff, J. C. Miller, W. E'. Hale, S. S. Murray, and the clerk (Mr W. E. G. Willy). OVERSEER’S REPORT. The board’s overseer, Mr E. Flavel, reported at length, on the progress of the cleaning of drains. All the contracts were now completed. Members observed that much. of the work was hardly up to the standard required. The board had eased its specifications, and contractors had taken full adva.nt.age of this. The overseer could have been more stricter,.

VALUATION ROLb. The clerk reported that at the request of the Valuation Department he had forwarded a copy of the board’s valuation roll;, amended up to date. . The board taken any notice of it, but’-had issued a new roll with all .the old mistakes-repeat-ed. Sections were stated to be owned by people who had died eight years agb. Mr J.,C. Miller stated that the County Council experienced the same difficulty with its valuation roll. RATE OF INTEREST. The Minister of Finan'ce. advised that approval had been granted for the payment of interest on the board’s loan proposed to be raised on the security of hypothecated debentures at a rate not exceeding 6% per cent, per annum. PURCHASE ;OF SECTION. The Commissioner of Crown Lands acknowledged receipt of the board’s application to acquire section 24, block 2, Waihou Survey. District, and advised that the matter would be placed before the Land Board. GOVERNMENT GRANTS. The chief drainage engineer, Auckland, wrote advising that the plans for the flood-gate at Shelly Beach, and the one near SH'oane’ l s had been approved, and the structures could be built out of the £2ooo' grant provided for tiie board. The works authorised to da.te out of thfe grant, and the estimated costs, were as follows: Shelly Beach flood-gate, £35:5 ; McDuff-Lou'ch drain, £505 ; ■ Shelly Beach flood-gate , (Hudson-Christie), £290 ; , Sloane’s flood-gate, Total, £1550. The resident drainage engineer had been instructed to inspect and report on the works- on which a progress payment, was desired. ' RAISING OF LOAN. The board’s bankers forwarded draft debentures, and coupon and draft resolutions for the approval. The required 'resolutions wehe passed-, signed, and sealed, in conformity with the requirements. PIPE QUOTATIONS. Quotations were received for the supply and delivery of 75 pipes of 4ft diameter from Auckland and local firms. Owing to the high freight charges from Auckland the quotation from the loc.al firm was much lower, and was accepted. Delivery would be taken when required, and the 'crossings were to be made by day labour under the board’s foreman.'

PROTEST ‘ AGAINST WORK. 'Mrs G. I. Irwin wrote protesting against the construction of a drain on her property, as it would take some of the most improved land and mean the deistruction of some of a shelter belt.' Owing to the smallness ofrthe holding it was not desired that even one foot should be taken. Mrs Irwin waited upon the board in support of her protest. The clerk said that the proposed drain would take a quarter of an acre of land from each landowner. ■ Mrs Irwin pointed out that tall shelter trees would have to be removed. Ast timber they were of little value, but as shelter they were very valuable, as they could not be replaced. '/If the drain was constructed on the southern side of the boundary the 'compensation to the owner would be much less, as the land was unimproved. Her farm was of 21 acres, and she did not want its size reduced; but she did not want to hold up the work, and would consent, if £5O compensation was granted. Members pointed out that the board 'was under no obligation to pay any compensation, and to do so would be creating a precedent. It was agreed that the case was one of genuine hardship, but the request could not be. acceded to.

NEW WORKS'. The following tenders were received for construction of drains :— Hudson-Christie drain, Vujhovich £415 13s 9d, H. Campbell £399 10s, H. B. Sparrow £446’ 12s 6d, J. Bennett £4'o'o. ■ Estimate £4ll. Taipara’s drain, J. Bennett, fob another, £5BO l'ss, T. Pennell £455. Sloane’s dra.in, Vujnovich £422 17s 7d, H. B. Sparrow £409 Is, Bd, A. Phillips £417, N. C. Sweet £348, J. Bennett £409, Allan Bowie £333. Johnstone’s drain, H. B. Sparrow £833 Ils 9d, A. Phillips £697 10s, N. C. Sweet £786, Rangi Hawera Is per yard for engineer’s estimate of quantities. Contracts, wer'e let as follows : Hud-son-Christie drain, J. Bennett ; Taipara.’s drain (subject to further negotiations with Tandowners), T. Pennell; Sloane’s drain, Allan Lowe (subject to approval) ; Johnstone’s, drain, Rangi Hawera. FINANCE. Accounts totalling £145 9s were passed for payment, and the action of the clerk in paying certain Wages.' was confirmed.