NETHERTON DRAINAGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5328, 19 September 1928, Page 2

NETHERTON DRAINAGE.

FIRST BOARD MEETING. The newly constii’.ted Nether ton Drainage Board held its fir-t meeting 1 in the Nethertan Hall on Monday ’ morning, the members present being - Messrs F. T. V. Johnson, E. A. Chesi ter, J. A- Reid, G. Buchanan, and B- - Halligan. , CHAIRMANSHIP. : The returning officer, Mr J, E. Green, presided- and called for nom- ! inatio.ns .for the position, of chairman. ■ Mr Halligan proposed, and Mr John- ; son seconded, that Mr G. Buchanan , be chairman. Mr Reid proposed Mr Chester, but 1 he declined nomination. The motion was carried unanimous- * ly. Mr Buchanan took the chair and ; thanked the board for electing him to . the position. PROCEDURE. Asked his opinion as to what wits 1 the first business, to be undtertaken, ‘ Mr Green pointed qut that his duty had ended, but he would urge the ’ board to familiarise itself with the who]e> district.- The board had nq funds a'- yet, but that yvas no reason J why it should not authorise minor items of expenditure should 1 that be warranted. He would advocate the I obtaining of a large plan of* the district, shqwing all the drains. The ’ finan-cing of the board was controlled ' by the Local Bedies Finance Act. 1 Mr Green read portions of the Act. 1 In the case of a newly constituted local authority the limit of its borrowing power was such amount as might be approved by the Minister of ■ Internal Affairs. There was n'othing ' to prevent "application being made right away. It was necessary to ap- ' point a clerk, and agree on a place .at ’ which to meet and a day for the regu- ; lar meeting. Mr. Green explained the procedureito ' be adopted in connection with the ’ levying qf a rate, and he suggested ’ that the lands drainage engineer be I consulted a.s the position was c'Oimpli- ’ cated, there being both freehold and ! Crown land. He pointed out that prior to a rate being struck the land ' would have to be classified or a decision reached to adopt a uniform rate. THE CLERKSHIP. • In moving that Mr J. E. Green bo : clerk to the board Mr Bucbanani said that his past experience wquld ba valuable, and the thanks of the people of the district was due to him for tfi&llarge amount of wi”rk he had already done in, connection with the constitution of the district. Mr Halligan seconded ,the motion and spoke in support, as also did Mr Johnsc-n. Mr Green suggested that applications be called for the position. He was prepared tq act in a temporary capacity until a permanent appointment walvjnade. 6 (Mr Buchanan altered his motion as suggested by Mr Green and it was t’hen carried. • Mr Johnson, moved that applications be called for the position of clerk to the- board at a salary qf £lOO for the, first, year. Seconded by Mr Reid and carried. APPRECIATION. The chairman moved that a vote of appreciation be accorded Mr E. Taylor, lands drainage engineer, an.d Mr O. G. Thornton, resident engineer, Public Works Department, for the assistance they had given in the c’onoti-tutic-ii of the district. GENERAL. On' the motion of Mr Buchanan the acting clerk was instructed to qbtain a 'plan of the area. It was also decided that six copies of the valua* tion roll of the district be obtained from the county clerk. The clerk was authorised to pro> cure; necessary stationary. The Paeroa branch of t]he National Bank of Nqw Zealand was, appointed the board’s bankers. OUTLET TO AWAITL On the motiqn of Mr Halligan the clerk was instructed to seek information concerning a grant of £llOO made for, the purpose of a outlet from near Mr H. Hill’s property to the Awaiti canal. PUMPING. Mr Halligan asked.- for an expression qf opinion on the question of pumping drain waferMr Buchanan said his view was that it was just as bad tq permit water to lie on riverfront land as on backcountry land. It wa c ; decided to seek infqrmation 'from the Thames Valley pofwer Board on all aspects of the matter. It was suggested that the cost of an internal combustion engine should be obtained to compare it. with an electric motor. DEFINING AREAS. It was agreed that at the next) meeting, when the plan of the district had been! obtained and an inspection had been made, an effort would be made to define the bqunda.ries of the subdivisions. From the discussion it appeared that members agreed that there should be three wards—Awaiti, H Drain, and Northern. •Mr Green advocated keeping separate accounts for each subdivision,. It was possible tq do without these individual accounts, but the system would not, be satisfactory. With individual accounts members wquld be responsible for the finances of their wards. THE NEXT MEETING. It was agreed that the nqxt meeting be held in the Nethertan Hall on Tue&" day. Octobar 2.