LOWER PLAINS DRAINAGE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5013, 13 August 1926, Page 3

LOWER PLAINS DRAINAGE

OPOU-HUIRAU AREA.

NEW PROPOSALS DISCUSSED.

A meeting of settlers Of the, Orchard East and Huirau Road districts was, held at the Huirau Rdad factory on Wednesday morning to hear and discuss the report of the committee set up to evolve a solution to the problem of efficient drainage for the. district. Mt P. R. Henry presided - over an attendance of 30 settlers/, and Mr E. Taylor, Lands Drainage Engineer, and members of the Horahia, and Hauraki Drainage Boards were present by invitation.

The. committee’s recojmpiendations were aS follows :—

“That the river from .the Willow drain to Wharepoa Road be stopbanked ; a drain 6 ft top, 3ft deep, 2ft bottom to be dug to obtain spoil to form the stop-bank. It is recognised that this - drain would not be deep enough to give sufficient drainage, but it could be deepened when the stop-bank had con’sbjlidated. Four flood-gates to be put' on the stop-bank. The stop-bank would be 370 chains long, .and 10,853 yards off sipoil would be removed from the drain. The estimated. cost is £678 6s 3d. Flood-gates cost £2OO-odd each. “The Thames Valley outlet to be equipped with three 4tt flood-gates and be widened to 4 Oft from Huirau Road to Te Kauri No. 1, with a halfcircle turn at junction, and then on to Hauraki Road with 30ft top, and on to the Willow drain wtih 20ft top. The drain would be 201 chains, long; 37,206 yards Of spoil would haye to be removed at an estimated cbfet of £2325 7s 6d, while the flood-gates would cost .£6OO. ./ “Bagnall’s outlet would have two 4ft flood-gatesi and have 20ft top and 2ft bottom as far as Hauraki Road. The rest of the drain to where it would connect with the Willow drain to ha.ve a 12ft top and 2ft bottom. The distance would be 140 chains., and estimated cost £Bl's 16s 3d, with £4OO for flood-gates,. “All drain banks to be, graded well back, and' all land in the area should be classed ‘A’ for rating hurtopteesi.” ALTERNATIVE SCHEME. “Failing this scheme, the committee would recommend a cana,l to take the same course as the Willow drain until it reached the Zigi-zag, and it should then take the line of Bagnall’s boundary to Wharepoa Road. Size of canal to be 50ft at top, with floodgates to suit.”- .. . The committee’s report ccimmented as follows: — “It is, apparent that great improvements are necessary on and ground Puriri Point as regards stop-banking, drainage, and flood-gates. In this area the stop-bank is to be of a solid -and substantial character, and of an effective height to withstand the high tides. The extra flood-gates are necessary, as. we suggest that the drain through Messrs. Baker’s, Madgwick’s, and Booth’s be abandoned by the board in control. “Owing to the Thames Valley drain emptying out a,t the widest part of the, river and running direct to the Gulf, also emptying with .the flow of the river, we recommend that this be the main drain out of the ‘ponding area’ fer both boards; also a cut-off from flood-water on to Puriri Point, thus making the point a s.elf-contain-e.d area. With the gates we suggest and the size of the drain flor the Thames Valley we think this drain will give an" effective service; We also suggest that the drain Te Kauri No. 1 ’from E. Clark’s td Gumtown Riad, and. the drain from Te Kauri No. 1 along Hauraki Road and up Orchard Ea'st Road, be abandoned. We consider Bagnall’s drain to be a primary ' cut-off fer the Kerepeefii water, also for relieving the; Wharepoa R-Jad drain at the head of the Willow drain; also for cutting off some of the water to the Te. Kauri No 2. It is the shortest and quickest way to the river. This-, with the improvements the Horahia Board intends carrying o.ut oin the Wharepoa Road drain, should be a benefit to all in the 'ponding area,’' and make good drainage possible. “In regard to the suggestion of enlarging the Huinaji Road drain, we consider that the benefits which will be received from Bagnall’s, and Thames Valley drains do nTff warrant the Huirau Road drain being enlarged. Also, that the congestion at McComb’s bridge on Orchard East Road, being only 20 chains from Te Ka,uri No. 1, it should get relief from the Te Kauri No. 1 drain, thus easing the Willow drain and making that drain of more use to all between Orchard East Road and the river. - “These proposed new drains, and improvements to old ones, are going to add considerably to the maintenance, td .which we understand there is a limit on the rate which can be struck. This is our reason for suggesting the abandonment of certain drains, and should this scheme be considered probable there may be other drains that could also be abandoned.” Mr Henry sd,id that the cost amounted to about £6006, and if the loan rate was; spread over the. 6000 acres that would receive benefit the rate would be about Is per. acre 1 . The cost of the alternative canaj would be approximately the same. On being asked for his. comments Mr E. Taylor, Lands Drainage Engineer, said that the scheme was very comprehensive and very expensive. He would suggest that the Te Kauri No, 1 be made the same size as the Te Kapri No. 2, with an enlargement in the part running north to the river. Bagnall’s proposed drain to be 3ft bottom, sft deep, and one-to-one batter. One flood-gate woiuld be requilled. The Public Works, Department proposed to stop-bank the Waihou River for 50 chains do.Wn stream from Wharepoa Road. The cost of the drains; would be approximately £3OOO. He pointed out that the last flood was due to an abnormal, set of conditions, and that the drains were already very large. It was for the settlers to say what they could afford to have. He would recommend that an engineer be employed to go

into the matter. The area that would benefit would be 850 acres east of Gumtown Road and 5000’ acres west of the same road. In reply to a question Mr F. L. Hamilton said that the matter of the drainage of the land sduth otf the Kerepeehi-Wharepoa road had been considered, but had been deleted from the scheme because it was considered a subject for the two drainage boards or for the commission of inquiry.

Mr Henry, replying to a question, said that the matter of financing the scheme had hot been considered, as it was thought to be a matter for the two board and not in the order of reference submited to the committee. Speakers said it was understood that the ra.ting area would, be. the Hauraki Board’s Te Kauri and Central areas, and the district to be benefited in the Horahia Board’s, district.

A great deal of dis.cussidn ensued on various small aspects of the proposal and the benefits or alleged benefits .to particular areas. It was pointed out that the area south of the Kerepeehi-Whai'epoa road would not be affected, but the settlers concerned might be prepared to formulate a scheme and join the-proposed special rating district. Mr Hicks.moved that the construction o® the*drain on the line of the Te Kauri Nix 1 be approved. Mr Ba'rrible seconded. Mr D; G. McMillan advocated considering the scheme as a .whole, and moved in that direction.

Mr R. L. Davies seconded, and this amendment was carried.

Mr D. G. McMillan moved, to test the feeling of the meeting; that the scheme as, submitted by the committee be not approved. Mr W. Taylor seconded. Mr W. Madgwick supported, as the proposal included the abandonment of certain drains, and with this he would 1 not agree. Other Huirau (Puriri) Point settlers attacked the scheme on account of the stop-banking proposal. Aske,d his opinion, the. drainage engineer said that s,tia|p-bank drains generally did not prove satisfactory. He.would suggest that existing drains be not abandoned, but that maintenance cos.t be saved by not attempting to maintain the stop-bank drain. The Public Works. Department’s stop-bank would be built of spoil, from the river bank;

Mr A. Sutton as.ked Mr Taylolr i£ he thought the Public Works Department would consider extending the proposed stop-bank round 1 the point. Mr Taylor said he could not say what the. other department would do. Speakers expressed the opinion that it would be a good idea to make the liequest to the department. A division was taken on the abandonment of the committee’s scheme, and no votes were, recorded in its favour.

Mr* Madgwick moved, and Mr H. Hicks seconded, that the scheme as outlined by the Lands Drainage Engineer be adopted. Asked the opinion of the Horahia Board, Mr J. M. Thompson said that the wa,ter ’from the Wairau Road, area caused all the trouble. If jt could be kept from crossing the KerepeehiWharepoa road, and the drains suggested by Mr. Taylor were made, the problem of the area under discussion would he solved'.

Mr J. C. Miller asked if it would be necessary to carry an with the proposed Bagnall’s drains if the Monganui. dra.in was extended to tap the water Srom the Wairau Road area:.

Speakers agreed that Bagnall’s drain could be modified.

Mr W. Madgwick said that the whole of the discussion showed t|ie advisability of the, two drainage hoards amalgamating. The members of the two, boards were present and >were not saying anything. Pofesibly they were afraid it would be used against their board at the coming commission.

Mr J. C. Miller (Horahia, Board), s,aid that .the policy of his board' was to make watertight compartments round each ’Outlet.

Reverting to the subject of the meeting, Mr Madgwick advocated constituting a committee to wait upon the two drainage boards 'for the purpose of handling a scheme on the lines submitted by Mr E. Taylor. Mr D. G. McMillan opposed this, as in his. opinion no finality would 1 he reached. It would be better for the two boards to delegate committees to go into the matter, and, if necessary, to appoint an engineer. A request an those lijh.es was moved by Mr Barrible, seconded by Mr Hamilton and carried iinanimoiusly.