ROTOKOHU DRAINAGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4981, 31 May 1926, Page 3

ROTOKOHU DRAINAGE.

KAOUITI CREEK OUTLET. PRIME MINISTER SYMPATHETIC. The drainage of the Rotqkohu Valley has been exercising .the minds of the settlers in that area, fer some time past. On Thursday the opportunity was taken of the. visit of the Prjme Minister to place before him the facts of the case and ask for the co-operation and assistance of. the Public Works Department. On behalf of the deputation Mir H. R. Thorp said that years <tgo the Public Works Department had put through a drain in the area, but it had not been completed or maintained. As a consequence the drain had filled up in many places, and was practically inoperative. The settlers had cleaned a portion df it out, but in places the debris from the drain had to be; heaved up a distance of nearly fifteen feet. The work would be too costly if day wages had to be paid by the settlers, and although “working bees” had been formed there were always some settlers who did not assist, and the work feh on a few willing ones. At the present time the parts of the drajn that had been cleaned had only thrown the water on to the; next man below. The undertaking was a big one without machinery, but. if the department would complete the work the settlers would be prepared to form a drainage board and control the drainage. The position was becoming worse each winter, and as much valuable country was rapidly deteriorating, it would be necessary to do something at once. Mr Thorp said that, with a suitable machine the. department, it was understood, had estimated that the wfirk would cost about £soo'. Of that amount the settlors were prepared .to contribute about £l5O. In answer to the Prime Minister the resident engineer said that the drain was beyond the province of the Public Works Department. Mr Thorp pointed out tha.f, the department had stated previously, when approached' on the matter, that a drainage board could not be formed because the work came under the; Waihou and Ohinemuri Rivers Improvement Scheme, and he tailed to see why that position did not still obtain. There were nearly six miles of drains in the area., and it was not possible for about twenty settlersi to maintain them.

The Prime Minister replied that the. department had not a suitable machine available. It would be necessary yto open up the Kabuiti Creek fro.m where it joined with the Ohinemuri River. He could no.t see exactly how fa ; r the responsibility, if any, of the department went, but he would look into the matter on his return to Wellington a ; nd see what could be done. Mr Coates congratulated the settlers on their endeavour to help themselves in the difficulty.