DRAINAGE PROPOSAL

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5021, 1 September 1926, Page 1

DRAINAGE PROPOSAL

NGATEIA-PIPIBOA AREA.

IMPROVEMENTS SUGGESTED.

About fifteen months ago there wasa movement to have the area- west of the Piaku River and between Ngatea and the Gulf taken.over by a, drainage board, and at a meeting of settlers a com.mittee was appointed to investigate the proposition. This committee, comprising Messrs A. H. McClean, C. Parfitt, W. Motion, A. Cleaver, and T. A. McClean, inspected the arfea and drew up a list Of improvements,- which they considered should be made by the Lands Drainage Department before the settlers would consent to assume control. The requests of. the committee were as follows: —

Pipirda - Area. —Flood-gates at Apple Tree and Donaghy’s-, also, fluming at Donaghy’s ; stop-bank® to be improved ; outlet to Central Drain to, be dredged out ; lay back batter and deepen Pipiroa roadside drain ; deepen roadside drain from Donaghy’s to Dalgety’s. The estimated cost was £1022.

Hopai Area.—lmprovements to Settlers’, Hopai, Hopai West, Roadside, and Pouarua drains, and provide a flood-gate, at a total cost estimated at £B2O.

Waita.karuru.— A flood-gate at French’s, stop-banking, and deepening of roadside drains, at a total, cost estimated at £7OO.-

Rawerawe. —New outlet at Rawerawe wharf, deepening dfain from Coppins’ to! outlet, Coppins’ to West, south side, increasing pipes in Paul’s and Leonard’s outlet, and improving stop-banking. The total cost was estimated at £536!

Ngatea Area. —Bigger pipes at Ngatea, supplement outlet with the Paul’sLeonard drain to be continued to back of section 17 and along back to Orchard West Road ; culvert Across road at Considine’s; improvements to Orchard West and Phillips’ drain®. Total cost £660.

The total cost of the work desired by the committee is £3700. The list was presented to the Chief Drainage Engineer in Auckland, who appeared anxious to assist the settlers, to form a drainage boa,rd, but while considering that some, Of the work was urgently required and some, was necessary, he could only promise that the matter would receive careful consideration. He expressed the opinion that the work might be done over a period of twto seasons, .as money became available.

When the matter was first discussed by the settlers there wa/s some, opposition expressed. Recently, however, this opposition has vanished, and the committee has been urged to push, on with the proposal. Possibly the increase in the Government drainage rate of nearly one halfpenny in - the pound has. been responsible for this. On Monday the committee met, and it was reported that the Lands Department was still considering the requests presented to it 15 months ago, but that much of the wonk mentioned had been done and other works had been carried o'ut that would probably affect the position. It was estimated that of the committee’s demands £6OO worth had been met. After a short discussion the committee decided to interview the Lands Drainage Engineer, Mr E. Taylor. On its return from Kerepee.hi it reported that the representations had been made and it was probable that funds for the purpose would be voted bn the Supplementary Estimates which would appear shortly . Mr Taylor had had promised to communicate with his department immediately to ascertain the latest information.