HAURAKI DRAINAGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5094, 28 February 1927, Page 3

HAURAKI DRAINAGE.

meeting of board. The Hauraki Drainage Board met at Turua on Friday last, Mr G. Gray presiding over the following: Messrs J. M, Mules* R. H. Heapp§y, J. Hamilton, and the clerk (Mf J. E. Green). SPECIAL LOAN. A special meeting was held prior to the ordinary meeting Pr the purpose ■►adopting a special order concernthe proposed loan of £lOOO for improving and erecting flood-gates in the Te Kauri No. 1 and Thames Valley outlets, improving the Wharepoa Road north-side drain, and the Willow drain, stop-banking portion of the Waihou River, and constructing a new drain jfrom the Willow drain ' to the northern boundary <ff section, 29, Turua estate. Th§ rate at interest was 6 per cent., the interest and sinking fund , to be paid out of the loan, and the special rate would be 13-32 d in the £ dn the unimproved value of the lands in a special rating area. The chairman o>f the Hauraki Board The chairman of the Hauraik B°ari having read in the “Gazette ’ report of the Horahia Board meeting of the receipt of a letter from the Department of Internal Affairs referring to the failure of the two boards to agree on the subdivision of the areas when amalgamated, the Hauraki Boat da clerk was instructed to communicate with the Internal Affairs Department seeking an explanation onjihe following points ' The number of areas that shall be defined and their respective boundaries ; whether these will have to be settled by the two present boards sitting as a combined board after March 31; or whether it, will be left to the newly elected board to settle the same, in which event the election for the new board be held over the whole district of t,he two boards without any legal subdivision. The fullest possible information on the whole matter was sought, and information was also asked for on the point of how long the two boards would sit as a combined board. Members of t,he Hauraki Board differed from the contention o'f the members of the Horahia Board that the subdivision was to be undertaken by the present members of the two boards sitting together. The Horahia Board advised that the Assistant Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs, had been informed that agreement had been reached by both boards on all matters with the exception of the mode df subdividing and the number of subdivisions. The Horahia Board’s suggested scheme of subdivision 'had been forwarded to the secretary of the department, together with a certified copy of the resolutions of the conference, it having been overlooked at that time that the Commissioner had surrendered his commission. Mr Heappey said that the latter statement was not correct. It was known that the commission had been rrendered, and it had been decided the Commissioner be asked to make the subdivision cir to endeavour to get the lands drainage, engineer te undertake the work. TROUGHTON’S OUTLET. On the motion of the chairman Mr Heappey was instructed to inspect Troughton’s outlet and have the road pipes lowered. The clerk was instructed te obtain the council’s permission to take up the road. TE KAURI No. 2 DRAIN. Mr J. A. Bennett, waited upon the board and drew attention to the state of the Te Kauri No. 2 drain. He urged the removal of the board from the flood-gate to permit the mud to be flushed out, as there was a chance of serious flooding resulting if .the drain was allowed to silt up. - The chairman said that tenders for cleaning the drain were to be .called immediately, and the b«ard would endeavour to get the work commenced as soon as possible. In the meantime the board would be removed until the first sign of flooding. The need far an early cleaning of the Te Kauri No. 2 outlet was also stressed by Mr Bennett. The chairman stated that it was the board’s intention to call tenders at once for the main outlets. Tenders for the other drain-cleaning work would be called later. This would enable the labour offering to be used to the best advantage. GUMTOWN DRAIN FLOOD-GATE. Mr Bennett also drew attention to the necessity elf carrying put the work decided upon at the Gumtown drain as soon as possible. The chairman stated that the matter had been overlooked but it would be attended .to as soon as possible. Discussing these matters after Mi" Bennett had retired, the clerk pointed out that there were not the funds available in the Te Kauri area account for the Guprtown fload-gate, as the estimates for other works had been exceeded. He could not say when tiie money would be available. Lt might be advisable to interview' the chief drainage engineer in regard to the subsidy. Mr Mules suggested that a resolution should be put on the books authorising the work on the Te Kauri flood-gate when the money becamiJ available. The matter cff removing the board Trom the Te Kauri No. 2 flo«d-gate was left to Mr Hamilton to arrange. PROPOSED LOAN WORK. The Horahia Drainage Board wrote asking that a committee of three b» ■appointed, with power to act, in the of t,he construction of the Valley outlet and Te Kauri No. 1 drain find flood-gate. The board desired to expedite the work. Discussing the matter, the chairman said that the Horahia Board was endeavouring .to put the responsibility on to the Hauraki Board, whereasthe duty was obviously on the Horahia Board. The Hauraki Board had not implied lack of faith in the outride engineer nominated by the two 'chairmen, but had pointed out that it was not necessary to get an engineer at all, as all the data had been obtained by the Lands Department

and the Horahia Board’s engineer. The clerk reported that, the Horahia Board had since received the specifications from Mr J. N. Anderson and the plans o’f the flood-gate from the lands drainage engineer. It was obvious that the specifications would have to be altered to bring the cost wit,hin the amount available. He had been assured by Mr W. E. G. Willy that the Horahia Board’s committee had full power to act in conjunction with the Hauraki Board’s committee. On the motion of Mr Hamilton a committee comprising Messrs G. Gray, R. H. Heappey, and J. Hamilton was appointed, with full power to act.

WHAREPOA ROAD DRAINS.

Mr J. A. G. Wilson waited upon the board with a request that the drain along the south side of the WharepoaKerepeehi road be improved. The Horahia Board had decided to enlarge its section of the drain, and unless something was done a serious position would be created. The chairman stated that so far no, decision had been reached. The area member had at one time advocated a small loan for improved drainage for the area. There was no money available at present. The'matter- of the adequacy of the existing flood-gate for the two roadside drains was mentioned by Mr Wilson, and the chairman reported that the matter had been taken up with the Horahia Board, which had turned the project down as unwarranted.

Mr Heappey pointed out that it would not be advisable to spend any money without first consulting the Public Works Department,, as eventually the Waihou River stop-bank would extend past the Wharepoa road to below Huirau Point, In regard to the necessary work on the roadside drain, the chairman stated that he had noticed in the “Gazette” report of the Horahia Board’s meeting that it intended conferring with the board on the matter.

Mr Wilson pointed out that the work proposed by the Horahia Board would be practically useless until the bottom portion was improved. Comparatively little work was necessary, as the capacity of the drain was limited by the size of the culverts. The chairman stated that the matter would nc,t be lost sight of. PIAKO ROAD DRAINS.

The matter of improving the Piako roadside drain was reported upon DY Mr Mules, who stated that for the work he had promised te find onethird o'f the cost up to £lO on condition that the work was undertaken by the Horahia Board.—Approved. ANNUAL CLEANING. On the motion of the chairman it was decided that tenders be called for t;h.e annual cleaning of the main outlets in the whole area. These will be considered at a special meeting to be held in ten days’ .time.