LIVELY ARGUMENTS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5054, 19 November 1926, Page 3

LIVELY ARGUMENTS.

CENTRAL PLAINS DRAINAGE. MATTER STILL UNSETTLED. Schemes for providing better drainage facilities, for the area pear Orchard East Road, Turua, are still in the melting pot. Out df the many suggestions made there has not been one that will meet with the approval of all the parties interested. On Wednesday las ( t Messrs F. Kneebone, S. S. Murray, J. M. Thompson, and R. L. Davies, of .the Horahia Drainage,-Board, and Mr D. G. McMillan, of the Hauraki Board, inspected the Willow Tree drain for the purpose of investigating the proposal to improve it sufficiently to meet requirements. From the flood-gate to the, road the outlet is in good order. This drain was constructed in the early days, before the land was cut up, and has since been greatly enlarged. A great number of willow tre.es are growing along the southern bank, preventing the drain from being widened on that side. The trees constitute, a menace, as their, roots cause an obstruction to the flow of water, and they are liable to be blown down. They have reached their alloted span of life, as the fact that six of them have been blown into the drain during the last few months proves. To make the outlet big enough to satisfy the present demand for improved drainage will necessitate the removal oT the trees.

During the inspection it was. also found that the growth of a sort of Watercress known as duckweed was seriously interfering with .the flow o'f water, and members reiterated that in future it would be necessary to provide; for an additional cleaning during the year. SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENT. The scheme to improve the Willow drain as. fostered by many of the settlers nad many of the membeis of both drainage boards includes, in addition to widening, which necessitates the removal of the trees, .the construction of a new drain about .half a mile long to’ cut out several bad bends and shorten the distance by about half a mile. It is freely admitted that this drain is an efficient outlet when in a clean state, and levels taken show that much additional fall can be secured. Already it is thA shortest route from .the area to be drained to the river, and if the suggested deviation is made it will be little more than half the length of the alternative outlets. Advocators of this scheme suggest a small local scheme for the low-lying land near the Orchard East-Turua-Netherton Road corner. Opponents of the foregoing proposal Advocate the improvement df the Te Kauri outlets asr providing a greater margin of safety and obviating the necessity of great expense than the local scheme. Objections, to this proposal' include the fact that the lowlying land will be .traversed and possibly damaged by a rush of backcountry wa.ter, and that the route to the river is considerably llongey while the outlet is only a .matter of ten chains away ’from the Willow outlet. HEATED ARGUMENTS. As was expected, the matter provoked much discussiop. at yesterday’s meeting of the Horahia Drainage Board. J. C. Miller, junr., and eight other sqttlers wrote to .the board stating that after hearing all the pros and cons, regarding drainage proposals in their arc,a they wished to convey their considered opinion, that .the board should honour the loan poll and construct the Te Kauri No. 1 outlet drain. Messrs J. C. Miller, junr., F. L. Hainilton, W. Greenaway, and E. C. Barriball waited upon'the board in support of the letter. Mr Hamilton wa,s the spokesman, and advocated that after the Willow drain had been put in good order money should be spent on improving Bagnall’s drain. • If the board did not have the money it should beg, borrow, or steal it, and if it could not do this it -should get out and let some other body of men handle the job.

In reply to Mr J. C. Miller, junr., the. chairman said that he did not favour the Te Kauri No. 1, but preferred the scheme of improving the Willow drain to a 30ft top to a spot where it was suggested a diagonal route should be taken across to the bend near McComb’s. This new drain should have a 27ft top. This would be a shotrer route, than any other. Mr F. L. Hamilton combated this..

Mr S. S. Murray said that the scheme should be abandoned altogether.

Argument became heated, Mr Hamilton asserting that Mr Kneebpne was biased and. prejudiced against the Te Kauri No. 1, a,nd Mr Miller, junr., asserting that the chairman wa§i favouring the Hauraki Board’s settlers instead of endeavouring to give the Horahia area, settlers reliej. ,

Mr Hamilton argued, that the better route would be from the middle of the low land instead of by the Willow outlet.

Mr Kneebone contended that the Willow was the shortest and therefore the better, route. The Hauraki Board would not support any other scheme. * Mr S. S. Murray disagreed, with this statement, and argued that the proposal would overload the ffijiltow drain. argument ensued, and Hamilton mentioned that uni,ess the board agreed to the present refquest the settlers intended getting an injunction from the Supreme Court to restrain the'Horahia Board from acting as, the chairman advocated.

Mr McDuff said that the deputation favoured certain improvements to. the Willow drain, and he suggested that it would be advisable to make these improvements and test the result before doing anything else; Mr Hamilton argued that there was no reason in concentrating on one outlet when two outlets could be used. From then on it was impossible to follow the discussion, as many persons kept talking at once and each one endeavoured to drown the voices; of the others.

Finally Mr Hamilton led the. deputation outside with the injunction “God bless you, Mr Clin,irman.*’ Mr Thompson said lie liked the Willow drain scheme with the suggested

deviation, but he was of the opinion that the central area should contribute towards the cost. Mr R. L. Davies suggested getting ah outside engineer’s advice, to which Mr Kneebone agreed.-

“ Mr S. S. Murray strenuously opposed the Willow drain scheme and bacaed up the Te Ka-uri No. 1 scheme because it would duplicate the amount of relief.

Mr Hale asked ft the Hauraki settlers would raise, a loan for the Willow scheme. He did not think so, but thought it was the duty of the board to fall in with the settlers’ views, although it might not agree with them. Unless this jvas done the ratepayers would not sanction the loan ajnd nothing would be done at all. It was better to, have something, even though it was. not the best scheme possible, than let the position remain as at Present.

Referring to a plan, Mr Willy said that the Willow with the deviation would be 40 chains shorter tbiyn the Te Kauri route. He pointed out that the board had sufficient money in ha.nd for the Willow drain, and the. Hauraki Board’s contribution could be utilised on the remaining work necessary.

Afte,r 'further discussion Mr Miller ■moved, and Mr Murray seconded, that when the conference was held with the Hauraki Board the Te Kauri No. 1-Thames Valley outlet be supported.

As an amendment Mr Kne>ebone moved that when the was held the board, co-operate in the matter of providing improvements to the district.

This was seconded by Mr McDuff, and on the division was Sjlso supported by Mr Thompson. Messrs Hale, Miller, Murray, and Davies voted against, and the amendment was defeated. The motion was carried on a similar division.

Mr Hale suggested getting expert advice on the matter This was supported by Mr Davies, but .the matter was not pressed and discussion turned to the next subject.