HAURAKI DRAINAGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5209, 28 November 1927, Page 3

HAURAKI DRAINAGE.

MEETING OF BOAIIIX The Hauraki United Drainage Board met at Turua on Friday last, Mr S. S. Murray presiding over Messrs J. M. Thompson, F. L. Hamilton, W. McDuff, H. H. Hicks, J. C. Miller, F. Kneebone, and T. D. Wallace (clerk). TE KAURI No. 1. The chairman reported having completed the contracts for the Te Kauri No, 1 drain improvements and having let a contract for the opening-up of the outlet from the flood-gate to the river. This action was approved, as also were several arrangements made with farmers respecting fencing, bridges, etc. The clerk was instructed to call tenders for the erection of two road bridges and two farmer’s bridges as soon as the approval of the plans had been received.

A letter was received from six landowners asking that all private drains running into the Te Kauri drain be kept open during the improvement work.

It was reported that a clause to that, effect had been included in the contracts.

The chairman reported that work on two of the contracts had already commenced. BRIDGE NEAR NGATEA. The Thames Valley Power Board advised having sent timber to Ngatea for the bridge to its depot. . The chairman reported that the bridge had been erected. DRAIN-WATER PUMPS.

The matter of payment for the electricity used by the drain-water pump installed by settlers in the Orchard East Road drain again came up for discussion on receipt of a legal opinion from the board’s solicitor, Mr E. L. Walton.

Mr Hicks advocated reopening the whole matter of paying for pumping. Mr J. C. Miller said that the present board made a mistake in not considering the matter at one of its first meetings. The chairman said it was strange that the account had not been forwarded to the board before the arrears had reached £23. Mr W. McDuff said the account was for electricity used since the beginning of. April. It would be well to get a detailed statement from th« Power Board. He was positive that the pump had been run when there was no occasion for it to do so. In his opinion the plant had never been satisfactory or suitable for the purpose.

Mr Hamilton said it appeared that the inference had been given the settlers that the board would pay for the electricity.

Mr McDuff said he w.as under that impression, but was sure the board was not to pay the £1 a month charge whent he plant was not running.

Mr J. C. Miller considered that there was a moral obligation on the board to pay for the electricity.

' It was decided to get details of the account.

After a brief discussion on the merits of the pump and of the board’s accounts the charge should be made against if the account was paid, seeing that the area members strenuously objected to it being charged tb their area account, Mr J. C. Miller moved that the recommendation of the Horahia Drainage Board- that the Hauraki United Drainage Board pay for the electricity, be not accepted. Mr Thompson seconded, and the motion was carried, Mr Hamilton voting against it. x LOAN MONEY. The Public Trustee, Wellington, advised that the application for a loan of £lOOO would be considered shortly, when formalities had been completed, RATEPAYERS’ LIST. The Clerk of the Court, Thames, advised that the ratepayers’ list had come before the stipendiary magistrate on November 10* and had been signed. FOREMAN’S REPORT. The foreman, Mr El Flavell, reported having repaired t|he floodgates on the Hudson-Christie and tha factory outlets. Slips had been removed from Mules’ outlet, ajid the Loader-Greenway drain, 14 chains of No. 1 A drain had been improved, and six chains of the Kopuarahi-Kerepeehi roadside drain had been graded. The pipes had been t.aken out of the Orchard East roadside rain and the cross-' ing to tihe Power Board’s depot had been replaced by a bridge. The grading of Johnstone’s wharf had been commenced. Reporting verbally, Mr Flavell stated that there were two slips in Price’s drain but they were not holding up the water to any great extfent. There was a deep hollow in the roadside drain near Greenaway’s and the water level could not be lowered as anticipated. OUTLET TO PRICE’S. Mr Thompson reported that he had stopped the work of deepening the Kerepeehi-Kopuarahi roadside drain near Price’s outlet, as nothing was to be gained by continuing it. Ail the fall possible had been obtained, but little relief was given. A petition was received from E- W. Hollis and ten others asking that a drain be constructed from the Willow drain to the Kerepeehi-Kopuarahi roadside drain between the land of Messrs Shilton and Greenaway to relieve the roadside drain, which did not receive sufficient benefit from either Price’s outlet or the LouchMcDuff drain, The matter was discussed at great length, and finally was deferred until a report on the financial position was available. FINANCE. The clerk reported that the debit balance at the bank was £2495 13s 9d, During the month rates collected amounted to £129, leaving £759 16s 4d outstanding. Accounts totalling £325 wore passed for payment.