NEW DRAINAGE DISTRICT

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5059, 1 December 1926, Page 2

NEW DRAINAGE DISTRICT

WAITAKARURU-NGATEA AREAn SETTLERS FAVOUR PROPOSAL. The matter of taking over from the Lauds'Drainage Department the » trol of the drainage o’f the district between Waitakaruru, Pipiroa, and Ngatea and placing it in the hands of a drainage board was. advanced 3. definite step at a meeting of settlors at Pipiroa yesterday. Mr C. Parfitt presided ovei‘ an attendance o’f 35, and in opening the meeting outlined the work done during the last 18 months • by the committee appointed to investigate the matter.

The commitee comprised Messrs C. Parfitt, A. McClean, J. Motion, A. Cleaver; and T. McClean. Each man had inspected his, part of the district and prepared a list o’f works estijnated to cost £3736 which would be necessary to give efficient, drainage. This was submitted to Mr E. Taylor, ■ lands drainage engineer, and later on the chief drainage engineer, Mr O. N. Campbell, was interviewed in Auckland. Mr Campbell had stated that the prospects of Parliament sanctioning a grant for all that was asked was very remote, but it was probable that within a few years the Lands. Department would be able to complete all the works desired by the committee.

Some time later the committee interviewed the lands drainage engineer at Kerepeehi, who then defined what the department considered essential and what were, non-essential. A recommendation on those lines had been forwarded to Wellington. Work costing £l3OO had been done, THE DEPARTMENT’S OFFER. Recently the committee had received a letter from the Lands Department offering a free grant, subject to Parliamentary sanction, of £1430 for the purpose o’f installing two floodgates, etc., at Pipiroa and on condition that a drainage district was constituted. Mr Parfitt then pointed out that since the committee, was appointed there had been two increases in the amount of the Government drainage rate, and it was now generally agreed by settlers that the rate was far too much for the amount of benefit received. Compared with the Horahia Board’s district, the rating on a farm o'f equal valuation was almost double. It thus appeared that the necessity of the settlers taking over control was greater than ever. Mr J. Neate, in opening the discussion, voiced the opinion, that the project was still premature. The Government would probably complete the drainage works as promised by its officials if given sufficient time.'

This view was opposed by Mr J. Darlington, who stressed the point thAt sufficient relief could only be obtained by settlers helping themselves. Mr Darlington also spoke in favour of the application of pumps to assist gravity drainage,- and mentioned that the department was unlikely to supply pumps. BACK COUNTRY WATER!*. „ Mr A. R. Vowles raised the vexed question of the back country w.atexproblem. * It would be useless Tor the settlers to take over control of the area until an. assurance had been*received that all back country water would) be effectively cut off. Mr Parfitt assured the; meeting that the lands drainage engineer, Mr E. Taylor, had given the committee a guarantee that no back countrywater would be allowed to come into the proposed board’s area. Mr Vagg spoke in favour of taking over control.

A Royal Commission similar to that which recently investigated drainage matters on the Rangitaiki Swamp was advocated by Mr W. Dalgety, who urged .that Mr T. W. Rhodes, M.P., be asked to do what he could.

The opinion that the Government did not desire to give up the afrea, as it was doing too well out of it, was voiced R. T. Williams. He mentioned, the amount of rates collected and the amount of money spent in the district.

After some further discussion in 'favoui' of the proposal it was decided that provided satisfactory arrangements could be completed with the Government, steps be taken to form a drainage board. An amendment by Mr Ne®jte, seconded by Mr L. Murray, urging the committee to interview Mr T. W. Rhodes, M.P., with the request that he ask the Minister of Lands to see that the inquests made by the committee for the completion of the drainage system were put in hand at once was defeated. It was decided .that the committee which had handled the matter up to tlxe present should carry the project on. .

To cover any legal and other expenses th?it might be entailed, it was agreed that a Iqvy of 2s 6d be collected 'from all settlers when they signed the necessary petition asking for the constitution, of the drainage district. This, petition must be signen by settlers, representing over 50 per cent, of the votes in .the proposed area and only those who did not owe any rates would be allowed to sign. The area proposed to be taken over is practically the same as the special rating area for the Hauraki Plains West water supply loan. The valuation of the area is £194,605.