HORAHIA DRAINAGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5106, 28 March 1927, Page 4

HORAHIA DRAINAGE.

FINAL BOARD MEETING. The Horahia Drainage Board held its final meeting on Friday evening. Mr F. A. Kneebone presiding over Messrs S. S. Murray, J. M. Thompson, J. C. Miller, W. E, Hale, W- McDuff, and the clerk (Mr W. E. G. Willy). THE NEW OUTLETS. Mr C, F. B. Smith, Kerepeehi, wrote drawing attention to section 28 of the Lands prainage Act, 1908, as he strongly objected to Price’s drain flowing on to his property and making it a ponding area while there were alternative measures 'for its avoidance, and as such overflow w-as more likely to occur on the completion of the new outlet, now in course of construction, despite the board’s assurance of Less water. He therefore requested the board to .take the necessary steps to prevent water flowing on to his land. W. Lawrence, C. W. Schultz, and H. F. Louch forwarded formal notice, pursuant to section 28 of the Lands Drainage Act, that whereas some months before the Louch-McDuff drain was dug they had protested to Messrs McDuff, Thompson, and Davies against its construction on the grounds that the drain would bring water, on to their lands. As the drain had been dug and water had come on te, .the petitioners’ land to its injury, and was likely to do so again, the board was requested to take the necessary' steps to prevent a recurrence. The clerk reported that sub-section 2 of section 28 of the Act provided, inter alia, that if the owner o.f land gave notice in writing to the board warning it that injury was likely to occur, or that any bank, dam, sluice, or reservoir was weak or deficient and required to be strengthened, amended, or repaired, and that the board within a reasonable time after the delivery of the said notice failed to take proper, and reasonable precautions to prevent such injury' or efficiently to strengthen or repair such dam, bank, sluice, or reservoir, then the amount o'f the consequental damages sustained through such failure shall be made good put of the rates to be levied by the b :, ard under this ActMessrs Miller and Kneebone contended that the Act did not apply in these cases. Mr McDuff contended that no injury had been done up to the present by the Louch-McDuff drain. Mr Thompson expressed the opinion that the move was made to force the board to instal pumps. Members agreed w'ith this view and it was decided to leave the. matter for. the new board to deal with. JUBILEE OUTLET. Mr H. H. Hicks forwarded accounts for £lO 14s 7d received by him from the Hauraki Drainage Board, being the quarter-share of the cost of cleaning the Jubilee outlet. He asked tne board to grant him some assistance, as the outlet was actually a dual drain relieving the Piako Road and Willow drains. Mr. Willy pointed out that the board ■had a resolution on its books agreeing to favourably consider the matter. On the motion of Mr Murray it was decided to pay the accounts. SUBSIDY ON FLUMING. The chief drainage engineer wrote advising that provided certain minor additions were made to the specifications for the fluming of Kneebone’s Shell bank and Miller’s outlets approval was granted and the work could proceed. It was decided to approve of the additions. SUBSIDY ON PUMPS. Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P., forwarded a communication received 'from the 'Minister of Lands advising that the chief drainage engineer was investigating the matter of installing drainwater pumps prior to advising on the board’s application for a subsidy on its proposefl loan for pumps. FINANCE. The clerk reported .that up to date the expenditure on the £15,000 loan account totalled £7741. In the northern area, the expenditure was £3374, southern area £llB9, ’’and central area £3178. On the general account .there were general rates levied totalling £1785. Of this £1235 had been collected, and as the average annual collection was £l4OO-odd it could be said that there was about £2oo' outstanding. Arrears of rates and penalties collected during the present year totalled £193 17s 2d. . The board then suspended standing

orders and discussed and reached a decision on financial matters, but the motions were not disclosed in open meeting. CONTROL OF STOP-BANK, The chairman reported that Mr J. Sloane had improved the Piako River stop-bank on his property, as required by the board. On the motion o'f Mr. McDuff the board decided to fulfill its promise to take over the control of the stop-bank. TENDERS. The tender of N. C. Sweet at Is per cubic yard was accepted for the widening and deepening of 68 chains of the Wharepoa Road south-side drain. For cleaning, fencing, widening, and deepening the Racecourse drain up to Kaikahu Road, the tender of Kotara, at £167 10s 6d’ was accepted. APPRECIATION. Being the final meeting of the board, a resolution was moved by the chairman, seconded by Mr W. E. Hale, and carried by acclamation placing bn record the board’s high appreciation of the valuable assistance and advice given the Horahia drainage district by Mr E. Taylor and the officers, of the Lands Drainage Department. A copy of this resolution is to be forwarded to the Minister of Lands.