A DRAINAGE PROBLEM.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5015, 18 August 1926, Page 1

A DRAINAGE PROBLEM.

SETTLEBS’ COMMITTEE SCHEME. MODIFIED WORKS PREFERRED. Appointed at a panic meeting of settlers whose land had been Hooded as the result of the peculiar circumstances a few weeks ago, when the; abnormal high tide as experienced elsewhere was piled by the gale on to the Land of the Plains .when the drains were taxed to deal with the exceptionally heavy r.ain, the committee ,o£ settlers of Horahia-Opou a,nd Huii|au Point devised a scheme of drainage and protective works, to cope' wtih such an abncrmali set of conditions. The cost was estimated to be £6OOO, but in all probability would prove to be much more. The flood haying passed, on Wednesday, with calmer minds, the scheme was cpjnsidered .and rejected, as the committee- had anticipated. The modified proposal adopted for investigation is- roughly estimated to coat only half as much ,and doesi not provide tor abnormal iWhil® making his suggestions the LandsDrainage Engineer, Mr E. Taylor hinted at the possibility of undertaking more drainage works than weie necessary or, from a financial standpoint, desirable. While it is. obvious that scjmet improvement' is necessary, the aspect presented by Mr Taylor is worthy of serious- consideration at this stage. It may be contended that settlers gladly pay drainage rates as the direct personal benefit is sp apparent, but there is no doubt that a few loans would -make the; burden of' drainage rates excessive, especially if there is an element pi doubt .as, to the necessity of the works being undertaken.

The number of drains in and near the “ponding area,” as the settlers term their land, greatly increased during the last few years, and the point that does- not seem to have received due consideration is that 1 the effect of these works has. not yet had an opportunity to become apparent. The last inundation passed away very quickly, and even it was. caused by abnormal conditions.

It was asserted at last [Wednesday’s meeting, by settlers, in a. position to knojv, that thej flooding Of the Qpou. area was due to water from the district about Kerepeehi and Wairau Road, and the meeting discussed schemes to condu'ct this water from the low-lying arenas to the river. The logical solution be to prevent the water from flowing towards, the Waihou River through the low-lying country where it is likely .to overflow the drain banks. This is the policy of the Hofrahia .Drainage .Board, but as yet the works designed for that purpose are not complete. The Racecourse drain from Wail lau Road to the Piako River still requires improvement; It should be made capable, of dealing with the water from the southern ' side of the KerepeehiWharepoa road, and possibly the Monganui drain should be made to assist. The Wharepoa roadside drains, Price’s outlet, and the new McDuffLouch drain should deal with the remainder of the water from the K®repeehi.hill, as well as that, from their particular localities, and, giveji time, the Horahia Board will have the trouble -of the water from the high levels overflowing the low-lying land eliminated altogether.

While it may be hard for the settlers of the low-lying land to have to wait for ■ these improvements, to be completed before they get relief, it seems more economically sound to do so than to hastily push for the raising of big loans which experience may prove tq be unnecessary. Iff it is found that the works for which authority has already been given do hot give sufficient relief, something more may be done. The installation of pumps may be advisable. It is well that the proposals of the committee were turned down and the. second proposal referred to the two drainage boards, fori consideration. These men, with their mature experience in drainage matters and knowledge 'from their rate books of the capacity to pay, will not be. swayed by hasty decisions.