ROADSIDE DRAINS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5246, 2 March 1928, Page 2

ROADSIDE DRAINS.

POSITION IN PAEROA RIIDING.

BASIS OF CONTRIBUTION.

About this time of the year the Ohinemuri County Council is generally inundated with requests from settlers for contributions, or assistance in other ways to clean out roadside' drains. The council has always shown its sympathy' towards settlers, and from time to time monetary grants have been made in necessitous cases;. In order that in the future settlers should have an idea upon what basis the council intended to work, the councillors have gone into the matter.

At yesterday’s meeting of tlie council Cr. F. C. Hubbard said 1 that the council had not made uniform payments ip. the past. He moved that the council contribute 40 per cent, out of riding,, funds, and not from main highways funds the money to be expended on cleaning drains only, and not for deepening or improving.

Cr. W. F. Johnstone thought it should be a general rule to contribute 40 per cent, of the cost, so as. not to exclude any special requisition that might be received. In most instances it was the settlers who* received the greatest benefit from cleaning drains, and he thought 40 per cent, was a reasonable contribution.

Exception was taken by Cr. R. R. Morrison, who said that the resolution should not apply to. drains in the Kaiinanawa riding. In that area the settlers were entitled to different treatment because they were in a special rating area, and the main Kaimanawa drain was of principal benefit to the road.

It was explained by Cr. Hubbard that bis resolution applied to the Patron riding only, and he suggested 40 per cent, as a basis to work on. Cr. Johnstone said he would support the resolution so Iqng as it applied to the Paeroa riding only. Settlers in- several other ridings were in a. different position, as instanced 1 by Cr. Morrison. It was understood that the council would pay over the money only when n request from the settlers was received. He thought that the resolution, while applying to the Paeroa riding only, might serve as a. guide to the' Kaimanawa riding. After it ihad 1 been pointed out that drains alongside main highways came under a special heading the resolution was carried.