HAURAKI WEST WATER

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5279, 25 May 1928, Page 4

HAURAKI WEST WATER

BEPOHT ON THE SCHEME.

CLASSIFICATION OR LAND.

The following report was received by the Hauraki Plains County Council on Wednesday from Mr, E. F. Adams, the council’s water supply engineer :—

“Under your appointment dated the 20th April last, I beg to submit here, in a. full report and classification of the lands within, the boundaries of the Hauraki Plains West water, supply district special rating area. “Accompanying this report is a list of jthe rateable properties within the area, and also a set of blue prints of the same, hav’ng the names of occupiers, and amount of unimproved values noted on their respective properties, or referred to in the margin. REQUIREMENT OF WATER.

“As this classification is to be based on the requirement of the occupiers and okvners of the land in regard to a water supply suitable for stock or domestic, trade, and other uses, the occupiers exempt from taxation are those within the area inaccessible to the water supply, or who a.re already provided with a private water supply, and who are not desirous of being connected up.

“ During the wetter periods of the year, all lands and premises are providede, by way of drains and tanks, with a wa.ter supply more or less su’tablei for stock and domestic or other uses.

“A private water supply for stock is also available to all occupiers and owners within the area by means of bores, which supply soda-water at all times whilst maintained in working order. To 'Others, situated on or near the, Piako River, the river water is avaible as well. The river water is more or less impregnated with salt water, according to; the state of the tide, a,nd the situation of tlhe property up or down the river. The river, water also carries with it a higher or lower proportion of peat swamp water, concentrated: to a very astringent solution in dry weatherTo others aga’n there is available peat swamp water very astringent and highly concentrated in dry weather, as well as the bore water at all times. “So far as ; I am able to judge, there are within the area no lands having a sufficiently pure and reliable water supply to warrant occupiers of these properties giving economic prefer.ence to a private water supply. During the dry period of the year, which coincides to a greater or less degree with the flush of the dairying season, a,ll available local water i& at its highest degree of impurity and unsuitability for. use. LANDS. “Characteristics, Drainage', and Access.—The lands within the area are all practically level. They are variable in quality and grade, from peat lands covered to various depths within drainage limits, and thence to clayey alluvial lands practically without a peat covering. All l,and's within the area are more or less well drained. They are provided for the most part with very good roads. The lands of more recent settlement and productivity are being given access facilities improving with their requirements.

“Productivity.—All classes of land within the area have proved produc-; tive va.lue. The most consistently productive lands are those having a well-drained alluvium sufficiently clothed humus, usually the modified product of the original, peat. Such lands are the least subject of any within the a.rea to the effects of extreme seasonal variations.

“The productive value of all the lands varies with the treatment accorded by the fanner and their susceptibility to it.. The distribution of sunshine and rainfall over the then and preceding seasons; the particular evolution stage of the land in course of reclamation from its original state, the degree of benefit of the drainage system and stop-bank protection as may be, and the market val,ue of the products’. It is not possible to accurately assess the value of any farm area relatively to the rest on the basis of results during one or even several seasons. OCCUPATION OF LANDS. “Lands within the area are ‘farm l,ands,’ principally used for dairying and grazing, and other lands held in relatively gmall areas and occupied for trade, residential, and: other purposes. The latter lands represent but a small proportionate area of the whole, and may be described as ‘town lands.’ “ ‘Farm land’ might be defined as a,ll ) ( and contained within the boundary of a dairying or grazing farm. “ ‘Town land’ might be defined ns land used 'for industrial trade, business, or residential purposes, .and not forming a necessary part of a farm. COUNTY VALUATIONS. “AH lands within, the area liave been valued for rating purposes, and the unimproved value of any property relatively to the others appears on tiie County Valuation Roll,. These values are the result of classification and grading made by experts, and have been subject of objection and adjustment where necessary.

“The unimproved value of any land as it .appears on the County Ro) ( l may be taken as having rea.ched an establishment for the time being. It is generally on a more equitable basis than, could be arfivecl at by regrading or reclassification based on the conditions following any particular seasonal cond'tions- These conditions may not be permanent. Where permanent enhancement or otherwise takes place, this will be reflected on the values when adjusted individually or over the whole area as a revaluation is made from time to time.

BENEFIT' DERIVED. “The benefit to be derived from a, permanent, sufficient, and wholesome water supply may be briefly stated as consist’ng chiefly in : (a) The saving of labour .and: expense in attention to bores., windmills, and pumps, etc.; (b) the reduced mortality of stock ; (c) the increaesd production ; (d) the provision of water for domestic and other purposes. “The degree of benefit to ‘farm

land’ is directly in proportion to the value of such land for farming purposes. For, ‘town lands’ the benefit has been established as having a value in proportion that a reasonable consumption bears to the cost of the supply.

“The unimproved value of farm la.nd is at a lower rate per acre than that of town land on account of t'he special enhancement of the latter, due to causes other than productivity. This enhancement of val.ue is apparently applied in a lesser, degree to farms immediately in contact with town lands and' of which portions may form town land in future. If this is so, such enhancement beyond a productivity basis would appear, to set up an anomaly in the degree of benefit derived by this land as farm land in that the portion that may evolve as town land is possibly separable from the farm, and if so separated might not be liable for full rates and charges. On the other hand such as town land is more des'rable by reason °f an available water, supply when town lots should come to be in demand. The occupiers of some of the more highly valued areas of farm lands in the vicinity of Ngatea are in the best economic position to resist a rate as their properties lie at no great distance from the river water where there is the probability of its being least tainted. CLASSIFICATION OF LANDS. “All, the lands within the area are Class A lands under, section 35, subsection 1, of the Water Supply Act, 1908, and its amendment; that is to say that the lands are ‘lands receiving or supposed to receive immediate and direct benefit’ from the water supply. RATES AND CHARGES.

“The above classification of the land entails levying a rate on a uniform scale to pay inter,est anil sinking fund on the loan. “The council may in additiojn make by-laws fixing charges for water supplied. Such charges may be estimated to cover the cost of maintaining and repairing the waterworks and the interest qnd sinking fund 'on any loan raised; for the cost of its construction, and shall, be applicable for such of the said purposes as may be necessary.”