HAURAKI DRAINAGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5297, 9 July 1928, Page 3

HAURAKI DRAINAGE.

SPECIAL meeting.

SPECIAL RATES STRUCK.

The Hauraki United Drainage Board met at Tur f ua on Friday last, Mr F. : A. Kneebone, in the. absence, of Mr S. S. Murray, presiding ovei' Messrs J. M. Thompson, F. Hamilton, W. H. H. Hicks, and the T. I>. Wallace. RATING. Prior to going, into committee to discuss the method of rating the clerk read the following from the notice calling the meeting:— “The opinion of Mr W a lt°n’ has. no "' rbe'en obtained regarding the Question bf .special rates on the Haur,a.ki loan of £10,500 a.nd the Hauraki Central loan of £lOOO. His opinion is that in striking the rate it must be in terms *of the proposal on which -a, poll was taken or. of the special order, as the case may be, which in the above loans was classes A, B, and C., but as a new classification Ist now in force, when calculating, the amount to be struck the C class can be ignored, a(S. there is no land, classed C under the new classification.” After the matter had been discussed the following letters were made available for publication:— - • The clerk’s letter to the board’s - legal adviser (Mr E. L. Walton) explained that'the late Hauraki Drainage Board rails,ell special loans of in 1927 and £5OOO in 1928 by IK" poll, and a further one-tenth of the 1. latter special loan, .namely, £5OO, under the. power conferred by the Local Bodies Loans Act. The security for. repayment of this £10,5000, and payment of interest, was a graduated special rate on the rateable value of lands classed as A, B, and C in its whole district. Lately the board’s land had been reclassified and most of the land clas'sed as A, and one cape only as class B- The board desired Mr Walton’s advice on the question whether it could strike a special rate for the current year on the new classification, or must it, for the purpose of these 10an5,... make it on the old claissificat’on. Could the board strike V’the special rate under, the new classificati’on. In reply Mr Walton advised that the board must continue to use the formula of the voting, papers and special' orders, and levy the rate on the A, B, and C basis. If the board offered debentures for sale, the security must be shown, as it appeared in thle voting paper or special "order, as the calse might be. “The board cannot vary from this formula,” he wrote, “ajid must levy on the one basis throughout the special loan area. The fact that t.h e new classification does not con-

t : a,in any C land, only affects the incidence of collection. For having used ■ the formula for levying ,the rate, the boardi will proceed to collect the rate so levied according to the new classification. Classifications are, in my " opinion, like valuations, in that they time io time, and the rates on the classification'and valuation ruling for the time being.” RATES STRUCK. ' The rates struck by the board 'were ag follows :— z General rate on A class, lajid, 6-4th of a penny; on B land', 5-4ths of a penny. Special rates: Horahia Loan, 6-8 d on A class and %d on B class land. Hattra,ki Loan : %d on A clasp, 4-8 d on B ciass, and %d on C class,, Hauraki Central Loan: 13-32 d on A class, 9-32 d on B class, and 4-32 d op C class. JUBILEE OUTLET.

Mr Kneebone reported that a com►inittee of the board had conferred 7 with the lands, drainage engineer, .Mr E. Taylor, with reference to the improvement of the Jubilee outlet. Mr Taylor had agreed to the -board’s suggestion to construct a new drain from the flood-gate direct to the river in a .straight line with the rest of the drain. A new 4ft flood-gate would be installed near the river’s edge, and the new drain would have 1% to 1

batters. Fluming outside the gate would be installed pi-ior to the opening, of the outlet. Tender s would be called a,t once. BAGNALL’S DRAIN. . 1 The lands, (Drainage- engineer, Mr E. Taylor, Kerepee.hi, wrote advising that at the request, of the board a surveiy had been made for the purpose of ascertaining the best location for a >wfiiain- drain to provide improved drainJage of the land lying between the Wharepoa-Kerepeehi road, the Te Kauri No. 2 and Greenw,a,y-Loader drains and extending westward from the Waihou River to the Kerepeehi. Kopuarahi road. ; There was no practical difference in the ground levels

along, the two suggested routes, and he would recommend that the drain be constructed on the southern route through Mr Bagnall’s property, ;as it ■would provide the more direct, efficient, and economical drainage for ' the western portion of the area, which is not as well served) by main drains ajs most; of the district. The existing outlet structure could, be .used for the new drain if fitted with new hardwood floodLgate on long -gangers. ’ Mr Hicks reported that Mr Taylor had said that there was less than three inches' of difference in the levels of the two routes. It was'decided 1 to ask Mr Taylor to prepare plans for improving Bagnall’s outlet. A 1%-to-l batter was to be used US far as was considered advisable. With reference to the road cro»sMr Hamilton reported that the county engineer had mentioned the necessity of improving the bridge on - the highway, .and had suggested installing 4 ft pipes. It wu,s suggested by Cr. Miller that the council might be able to secure a on a bridge from the HighBoard, and it was decided to confer with the coune.il o n the matter, the opinion being tha.t a bridge was much to be preferred to a cul--1 vert. In future the drain would be knowh. ■ as Ansford’s extension. OPOU IMPROVEMENTS. A deputation compl'ising Messrs, E. 0. Barriball, R. Hutchinson, A. A. Fisher, and N. Ala,ch waited upon the

boa'rd in an endeavour to secure improved drainage. Mr Barriball stated that they were of opinion that the board’s proposal to take ovei’ the drain through Mr R. Hutchinson’s section would not be a'> effective as a drain through Mr J. C. Miller’s, (junr) section. Mr Alach pointed out that no depth could be obtained from the (Orchard East Road drain. The board’s proposal was a. long route, with, four angles, and would not be satisfactory. After a long discussion it, wa's, decided to hold up the work on Hutchinson’s drain and inspect the area in" company with the lands drainage engineer. ELSTOW BOUNDARY. - The Elstow "Drinage Board wrote .offering, to meet the board at Kertepeehi, with a view to discussing the boundary between the two areas and the pumping of water- from the two areas. It was agreed to fall in with the arrangements suggested. ORONGO ROAD DRAIN. The Minister of Lands, the How. A. D. McLeod, wrote with reference to the board’s request that a proportion of the cost of improving the Kopua-rahi-Orongo roadside drain be granted, and advised that consideration would be given the provision of ;a, subsidy of £1 for £2 on an estimated cost of £6S(J, when the estimates were un? der discussion. SUBSIDY. The Hon. A. D. McLeod, Minister of Lands, wrote with reference to the board’s request for provision of a subsidy .on. a proposed loan of £5500 for various works within the. district, and stated a complete schedule of works intended to be undertaken 'had not been (submitted;. (On a basis of £2500, however, it. was recommended tihat a, ('subsidy of £1 for £3 should be provided, and it would Eave consideration when the-estimates w'ere being .dealt with. RIVERSIDE DRAINAGE.

The (Minister of Public Works advised that a report .had been received from the district engineer, Auckland, in , connection with the drainage worksr-in the vicinity of Carter’s corner rendered necessary by the Rivers Improvement Scheme. ■

The department’s work comprised the deepening of Porritt’s drain for about 22 chains, and thence branching at right angles to the left for 26 chains and then at right angles to the right up to the Netherton-Turua roa.d to pick up the internal drainage. He had been ..advised! that the board’s contention was that the low ;a,rea of land between Pekape-ka Road and the Netherton-Turua road woul.di have ho drainage when the river was flooded, and that it desired drainage to be given by means of deepening Porritt’s dya.in 50 chains up to the TuruaNetherton road. If this latter work was done, an extra 4ft flood-gated culvert would be necessary. The cost was estimated at £3OO, being £2OO for deepening Porritt’s drain ‘ and £lOO -for the barrel. The department was prepared to accept some liability, but only a part, as the work would provide better drainage facilities for the district. He was. agreeable .to the Waihou works, and the drainage- board each finding half the cost. If this was acceptable- the department would do the work as soon as the board found its contribution. Mr McDuff thought that the settlers concerned should be asked to find their ■ share of the cost. Mr Miller suggested asking the department to do the work and accept payment in annual instalments of £lO over a period of ten years. He pointed out that there was no loan money available, and the annual instalment could be met out of the general rate. It was decided to put the proposition to the department. ZIG-ZAG DRAIN. On the motion of Mr Kneeb'one it was decided to have 108 chains of the Zig-zag drain dragged.