DRAINAGE ASSOCIATION.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5257, 28 March 1928, Page 2

DRAINAGE ASSOCIATION.

TIROHIA-ROTOKOHU AREA.

MINISTER TO BE PETITIONED. A meeting of settlers in the Tiro’nia 1 /^* 4 Rotokohu drainage area, convened by Mr H. R. Thorp, was held on Monday night in the; Criterion Sample Roorris. There were about twenty settlers present, apd Mr W. F. Johnstone was elected to the chair. The convener, in explaining 'his reasons for calling the meeting, said that about ten years ago a drainage bo.ard was fia’St mooted. An association was formed, a consulting engineer appointed, and; a drainage board was on the verge of being formed when the Public Works Department stepped in and stopped it. The department refused to aillow the board to be formed while the stop-hanks and drainage works were in progress. No work had been done in the area since 1922, and the drains had 4 ovqt'gf'own and blocked. He consul- > ered that £5OOO would be required to clean up the main outfall drains and drain, the whole area. So far as the southern end of the area was concerned, the Government had; done nothing. Several deputations had placed the matter before various ’Ministers, but nothing had been done. The Hon. K. S. Williams had an engineer’s estimate of £2OOO, but word was received that the Publ’c Works Department would not have anything to clo with the work. In all, theye were about 5000 acres of land affected, 4000' being directly affected and the other 1000 receiving some benefit. . He gave a detailed list of the work that was urgently required for the area, and Bn estimate. He considered the forma.tion of a board the most proposition. Mr Thorp produced plans, and the settlers interested discussed them. Mr Cassrels thought that the; classification of the area would be a difficult matter. The chairman said he thought that ■> ■ the formation of a drainage board was a little premature. They should wait until the board was formed under the Waihou and Ohinemuri drainage scheme and know what it was going to cost. Personally he was not greatly interested. Mr North thought that it was a disgrace for the Public Works Department to dig the drains and leave then in ,tihe condition they were at present. Mr Ryaill thought that a drainage board must come. . Tlie chairman considered that bßefore they formed the board the'?; shoufld wait and see what the depart- ’ ; mqn.t was prepared to do. The following resolution was carried: “That a deputation wait upon the Minister of Public Works to repre- ' sent to him the unsatisfactory condition of drainage matters in the area served by the Tirohia-Rotokohu drains constructed by the Public Works Department, which, failing any constituted' authority, are lapsing into a non-functionipg state. Further, the Minister be. asked to extend the same privilege to this area as is being | extended to other areas within the Waihou and /Ohinemuri improvement area.”

Mr Johnstone considered that a smaller area should be chosen. Petfy* sonally .he had nothing to gain by thb< formation of a board, and everybody was guided by the benefit he was to neceiva

Tlie following resolution was carried : “That this meeting will affirmatively consider forming a drainage board if conditions are favourable.” It was decided to form an association, to be known as the koliu Drainage Association; with a membership fee of ss. Mr W. F- Johnstone was elected chairman and Mr H. R. Thorp secretary.

The following were, elected a committee to draw up a petition and place it before the Minister on April s*v Messrs Johnstone, Thorp. Lewis, and Cassrels.