DRAINAGE ON PLAINS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5391, 22 February 1929, Page 2

DRAINAGE ON PLAINS.

USE OF ELECTRIC PUMPS. SUPPORT OF ENGINEER. Seme days ago. the “Hauraki Plains Gazette” quoted remarks madebyjMr W. E. G. Willy, cf Turua, at the Thames Valley Power Board meeting relative to a reduction bf electricity charges for farmers who used pumps on the; Haurajii Plains for drainage purposes, in order to encourage thenuse. Mr Willy’s proposal in so far as the use of pumps is concerned has apparently been taken up by Mr E. Taylor, engineer of the Lands Department.

When a question concerning methods, of draining the low-lying lands on the eastern banks of the Piako River, near Ngatea, arose at a meeting, of the Hauraki United Drainage Board, Mr Taylor suggested that ti'icnl pumping to supplement gravity drainage at high stages of the river was the best mqans. of improving the drainage. Pumping, however, could not be carried out op an economiqajly sound basis unless the drainage from the higher land above the terrace was excluded from the pumping area. It is interesting to remember that the first farmer on the Plains who proposed installing an electric pump for this purpose was treated more orless with ridicule by his neighbours in the district—ridic.ulq which to admiration after a demonstration had been given, and caused a number to follow suit.