HAURAKI DRAINAGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5266, 23 April 1928, Page 4

HAURAKI DRAINAGE.

MEETING OF UNITED BOARD.

WORK ON THE DRAINS. Tht Hauraki United Drainage Board met at Turua on Friday, Mr S. S. Murray presiding oyer Messrs 11. H. Hicks, F. L. Hamilton, J. c. Miller, J. M. Thompson, W. McDuff, F. A. Kneqbone, and T. D. Wallace (clerk). OVERLOADING THE PIAKO. The clerk reported that die had discussed with the lands drainage engineer the scheme of draining the Tauhei swamp nciar Morrinsville into the Piako River. The board needed' to have no fear that the Piako River would be overoaded, as the department was controlling the matter and it was more concarned with the river than, was the boarl. The Tauhei area was very small. PEKAPEKA ROAD OUTLET. The Public Works Department, Paeroa<, wrote in reply to the board’s protest concerning the batters of the Pekapeka roadside drain. The resident 'engineer assured the board that he was not unmindful of the understanding reached during the visit of Messrs Murray and Thompson, and it was fully intended that when, the work reached the board’s typical soft country, as it would do shortly, the drains would be made to conform with the board’s standard cross-sec-tion when practicable. He did not think the country near Pekapeka Road was unstable, being more like the flat country near Paeroa, where the department had found that drains with steeper blatters gave very little trouble. A start was made with a one-to-one batter, but '.the country proved to bet so firm that it soon became evident that this Hatter was unnecessary and was, indeed,' An extravagance. It was accordingly reduced. it was ■a scarcely likely that.the County Council would agree to remove the'bank on „ thei roadside as the road formation would be impaired. The spoil from the drain would be removed shortly. It did not appear that the country through Hall’s section was. much different, and as the drain was dug it was suggested that it be left as at present, and if it showed any sign; of instability after the winter the question of lowering the batters would be considered. The (lepartment would construct these cut<off drains to a reasonable; standard, but would not undertake any maintenance. RACECOURSE DRAIN. ' . The lands drainage engineer, Kere-

peehi. advised' that 5s 6d a chain was a satisfactory price for cleaning thej racecourse drain and the department would pay half the cost. KAIKAKU ROAD DRAIN. Mr A- H. Hoff, Kerepeehi, wrote on behalf of certain’Ker epeehi township settlers urging the cleaning of the Kaikahu roadside drains. —Referred to overseer to i nave ■ done. GREENWAY-LOADER DRAIN. Mr W. Greenway; K'.er.epeehi, wrote acknowledging receipt; of the board’s decision, to improve the GreenwayLoader drain if he jvould fence his section. He refused, to do this and ■ gave formal notice tc> the board under section 6 of tihe Land' Drainoge Act, 1920, and the Fencing Act, 1908, to erect a legal fence. He would withdraw this notice and; erect the fence under certain terms , concerning the supply of materials. . It was agreed to accept-hese terms. THAMES. VALLEY ■ OUTLET. ■Mr A. J. Heasemaii, T urua, advised that he would not finish grading back the spoil from , the Thames Valley .drain as he had /to give up the grader he had borrovred. He thought the board had better finish the work, and he expressed .the hope that the job’ would be pushed on with before the •winter and,all'fences erected a.t once, as his stock was able to stray from one paddock, to another. He asked that the stop-bank be started this . month, and, that the: flood-gate on the I Huirau Road drain be installed at once. He also complained of the. way the board?s empOoyees had left the, approaches of the new bridge. The grading was referred to the foreman to have undertaken as soon . as possible, and it was decided to inform' Mr 'Heaseman that'' the stopbank would be commenced, as; soon as money became available!. OPOU AREA WO RK. In accordance with notice given. Mr J. M. Thompson mowed that the resolution be rescinded which prevented any work being carried out in the area between ■ Orchard East Read and Wharepoa Road untiUthe existing works were tried 'out. As no seconder ' was forthcoming the motion lapsed. HUIRAU POINT' DRAINS. A request for an. improvement tc? I their outlets was received f foi® Messrs T. McCormick and .N. Spence, and also from A. H. Sutton, and the board decided to inspect the area. Mrs G. Brown, Huirau Road, also* wrote on behalf ef her .huisband, who was in hospital, urging th' e improvement of the outlet. The chairman, said that. two pipes amJ a flap were, required. It was decided! to procure and install the pipes. RELIEF F’OR KOPU7 IRAKI. Tlie chairm.an reported on a visit of inspection to Kopnair; ahi. to view the outlet suggested las- t month by Mr O’Carroll and other petitioners. He was wondering if he position could be remedied by lo wer.ing the culvert at the school corrie r. After a long discussion ; it was, decided. that the whole Ikx trd inspect the area. THE KOPUARAHI 010 TLET. Mr Miller reported that! 1 :here were three breaks in the Kopwai 'ahi floodgate culvert. Tlie position- was serious. for patching might be 1 ' only temporary. The only solution he could see was to cut off a seetfa t 'of the Pipe and instal the floo'd-gafc a nearer the bank. An inspection was deci’ded’ » on. £lOO LOAN. The- secretary of the Local!' G lovernment Loans Board forwarded forms of application for sanction' to raise a loan of £lOO, being 10 per ce', ntthe Hauraki Central special! logu >'•

BALANCE-SHEETS. . The Audit Office forwarded the bal-, ance-sheets for the three years ending .March 31, 1927. In reply to sewcra.l members the qlerk stated that there were no tags on any of the balance-sheets. FOREMAN’S REPORT. The foreman, Mr E. Flavell, reported that the Tes Kauri No. 1 conti act would be completed in a. few 'daysMost of the cleaning contracts were completed. Daily’s outlet, Brown’s and McCormick’s and Spe.ncer’s drains had been opened up. Thu breaks in the Kopuarahi flood-gate pipe, which were bad ones, had been repaired. The flood-gate at Taipara’s had been repaired. New gates for No. .1 A and the Horahia outlet, and for Pekapeka Road, had come to hand and would be placed in position at once. APPOINTMENT OF OVERSEER. The board went into committee to consider the 23 applications for the position of working overseer, which carries a salary of £3OO a year, out of which he must provide and maintain, a motor-car. On. standing orders being resumed it was agreed that the chairman and Mr Hicks interview Messrs W. JSheen, Ngatea, J. A. Bennett, Turua, and E. D. Jack, Thames. FINANCIAL PASITION.

With to the petition for the extension of the Jub’lee drain received at the previous meeting, the chairman said that the question, was governed by the, financial position. With the hold-up of the £lOOO loan the board’s finances were in a serious position, and he was of opinion that no further work should be authorised until the financial position was straightened out. He thought the £5'500 balance of the; £15,000 loan should be allocated on an acreage basis among the various subdivisions. Mr Hamilton advocated that the money be divided without definitely allocating’ cetrain .sums. It would be folly to alocate the money, and then find that t'he work in one area was held up on account of lack of funds while while another area had a substantial credit balance.

Members cigreed that it was necessary to straighten up the finances so that members would know the exact position.

Mr Hicks pointed out that only part of the £5500. would be required. The chairman said that the general account had supplied funds for loan works, and the position 'was very complicated. The subsidies also complicated the matter. Mr Hicks advocated holding a special meeting to clear up the financial position. The chairman said that within £6OO of the subsidy on the £15,000 loan had been received. More loan money would have to be spent to collect further subsidy. , . , It wjlas. decided to hold a special meeting, as suggested. • The chairman, said it neces; sary to consider thet hypothecation of some of the debentures for the £5500 balance of the loan money. -■ The matter was left in the hands Of the chairman and treasurer, with power to act after conferring with the bank manager.

Reverting to the Jubilee drain, Mr Hicks pointed out that now the gleaning had been completed members could see what work was necessary. A specification for the proposed work was received from the lands drainage engineer, and a letter was received from Mr F. Beck pointing out the desirability of not interfering with the bank on his side near his hedges and cowsheds.

The matter was deferred until an inspection had been made. The clerk reported that the? bank overdraft was £B6O. Of the £2931 10s lOd general rates levied £B4l 16s Id had been collected. There was £2482 5s lOd in rates outstanding. It was decided to notify ratepayers that the .10 per cent, penalty would be ifnp'osed on all rates outstanding on May 28. BLOCKAGE OF DRAIN. The foreman was instructed to remove the blockage at the thtad' of the Zig-zag drain. STOP-BANK DRAIN. In' view of special circumstances it .was decided that the stop-bank drain for 40 chains above the Ngatea bridge be left for Mr McDuff to, inspect, with a view to deciding ther cleaning should be done.