HORAHIA DRAINAGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5002, 19 July 1926, Page 1

HORAHIA DRAINAGE.

meeting of board. Th© Horahia Drainage Board met ’on Thursday, Mr F. A. Kneeihone presiding over the following "■ Messrs R. L. Davies, J, M, Thompson, J. C, Miller, W; E., Hale, S, S, Murray and W, E, G. Willy (clerk). LOAN SUBSIDY. Letters were received from Messrs A. M. Samuel, M,P„ T, W, Rhodes, M. J, B, Thompson, Under-Secre-tary of the Lands Department, Rl H. Bollard, Minister of Internal Affairs, W, Nos,worthy, late Minister of Lands, K. S. Williams, Minister of Public Works, promising to ma,ke representations in support of the board’s application for a £ fpr £ subsidy on its loan of £6OOO. The Minister of Lands advi.-.ed that the question had been referred to the Chief Drainage Engineer for his report and comments. RACECOURSE DRAIN. The Chieffl Drainage Engineer, Auckland, wrote 1 with reference to the maintenance of, the racecourse drain and a,dvised that the department was collecting a maintenance rate over the northern portion of the Elstow Drainage Board’s are'a and would therefore find half the cost of cleaning the outlet. As no work was done last year the contribution was 5,s per chain —double the usual contribution. JOHNSTONE’S OUTLET. A letter wajs received from Messrs E. W. Martin, C, Dal® 1 , R, Rowlings, and E, Flavell, settlers, of Orchard East Road, asking <for permission to drain into the Johnstone-McKei’char drain. Each, cut would be flapped. On the motion of the chairman the application was granted on condition that flaps were provided to the satisfaction of the board. SHELLBANK DRAIN. J. G. Miller, Kopuarahi, wrote complaining of the flooding of his- land. He attributed the cause to the new culvert across the road without an increase in the size of the floodgate. An improvement in the floodgate was necessary for the settlers of a big area. The clerk sa.id that there was a difference oif about 9ft in the water levels inside 1 and outside the floodgate. Mr Hale pointed out that at high tide the river overflowed the stopbanks all along, and this water blocked back the storm-water. The position was' the same’ all along the coast. The chairman sa,id that when the scheme was, completed a great relief would be effected. Tire size l of the flood-gates would then be considered, and if necessary bigger ones would be fitted. OPOU AREA DRAINAGE. J. C. Miller, junr„ Orchard East Road, for ami on behalf of the settlers interested, wrote suggesting numerous improvements that could be effected to the Willow and Te Kauri outlets,

Member?, commented that there was no doubt that the area, was in a very bad state. Mr Kneebone said that Mr D. G. McMillan had said the two boards should get together and evolve some scheme to provide, say, two bigdrains. One would extend from the Te Kauri No. 1 and the other would run from the Soldiers’ drain to the Huirau Road drains. The flood had levelled all the differences o® the pa,st, and co-operation could be effected.

With reference to easing the bend at the junction of the Te Kauri and Zig-zag drains, Mr Thompson said that the necessity of this wa,s amply demonstrated during the recent flood. Mr Hale moved that the work be put in hand immediately, provided the landowner did not object. Mr Davies objected to any of the charge being made against the general account, and the motion was carried on the understanding that the work would be a charge on the loan account.

It was also decided to accept the invitation to meet the settlers concerned and the members of the Hauraki Board, together with the Huira.u Point settlers, to discuss the formation oif a rating area for some proposed new drains, although it was not anticipated that much progress would be made. There’ was no doubt of the need for the new drains, and .apparently all the settler.", were prepared to pay a special loan rate, but, the 1 question was the effect of this move on .the finding of the Commission. The matter was discussed at great length, and finally it was agreed to endeavour to i hold the meeting on Friday morning.

In regard to the fencing of the Te Kauri drain, it was decided to write to the Hauraki Board urging the early commencement ofc the work. Dealing with the letter further, the chairman said that the culvert at Price’s, outlet was to be lowered. The Hauraki Board would be asked how the Willow Drain flood-gates were working, and also the position in regard to the fencing of. the: outlet through M. Brown’s section. The fencing of the drain through Davidson’s section would be taken up again with the Commissioner of Crown Lands.

INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The board’s inspector, Mr E. Flavell, reported verbally that five jiew floodgates, were required. These were at Shelly Beach, Kopuarahi .wharf, Miller’s outlet, Shellhank, and Kneeboiie’s outlet. The small gate behiind Christie’s was not satisfactory, and could not be made watertight until the summer time. The other gates were of, iron, and had. rusted ba,dly. Different hinges would be required. The chairman, secretary, and inspector were authorised to procure five 3ft wooden gates. FINANCE. Accounts totalling £56 3s 9d on th® general account and £lB6 4s Id on the loan .account were passed for payment, and the payment of wages totalling £l9O was approved and progress payments totalling £3Bl Bs, 6d authorised. The clerk reported that as a result of the revaluation of land the unimproved valuation of the land in the board’s are,a had decreased by £13,747. Alterations might be made by the Assessment Court, but the old valuation was £300,642 and the new valuation £286,895. The A Class, land had decreased £17,600 and the amount o\f rates collectable reduced by £llO, but the B class land had be®n increased in valuation by £3853, with a,n increase in 'rates amounting to £2O. Thus the nett decrease in rates as the result of the new valuation was £9O. The board’s income from general rates was now £1785. TENDERS. Tenders for various works were considered in committee, and the following wree accepted : Improving the Racecourse drain, Kotare, 9s 6d; Price’s drain, N. C. Sweet, £7B ; scooping back bank of Price’s: drain, held oven. OBJECTION TO DRAIN. The clerk reported that the Irwin sisters had not yet withdrawn their objection to the construction of a drain across their property, as had been verbally promised. Formal notice had therefore been served to appoint an engineer to ,act as arbitrator, but this had not been done. The next step was to reffler the question to, a magistrate sitting with two 1 assessors. The matter was referred to the chairman, clerk, and Mr Hall to carrj to its conclusion. STOP-BANKING. Mr J. C, Miller brought up the question of raising the level of the stop-banks, and asked if there was, money available. The clerk said that instruction could be given to the bank to sell more debentures. Representations could he made to secure some of the subsidy promised. It was agreed that efforts be made to secure the subsidy. Mr Miller said that the department had the levels and would perhaps make them availabe to the board. He was of opinion that it woud be sufficient to raise the ba,nks 18 inches at a cost of about £Boo’. Mr Willy said that the department had definite ideas on how the stopbanks should be made. This method was very costly, and the question to be considered was, whether the work should be done up to the standard necessary to get a subsidy or whether it would be cheaper and just as effective to do the work up to a lower standard.