NETHERTON DRAINAGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5393, 27 February 1929, Page 2

NETHERTON DRAINAGE.

BOARD’S MONTHLY MEETING. 'flic Netherton Drainage Board held its monthly meeting last night, Mr G. Buchanan presiding over, Messrs F. T. V. Johnson, J. A. Reid, E. A. Chester, B. Halligan, and J- E. Green (clerk). RATES. In accordance with notice gjven at the previous meeting and advertised, the chairman moved that general rate? be struck and levied at 3d in the £ bn land classed A, 2d on laSidl classed B, and Id on land classed CSeconded by Mr Reid and carried. REBATE. It was decided to allow a rebate of 5 per cent, on rates paid within a month. THE TERRACE D.RAIN. Tiic Elstow Drainage Board: forwarded for the board’s information a copy of a letter sent, to the cjuef drainage engineer, Auckland, as follows :— “We note that the Netherton Drainage Board has communicated with you requiring you to construct the Terr,ace drain to the intercepting canal,' having declined to consent t° our board’s request to have the outlet through the H drain. It therefore is apparent that the latter alternative referred to in section 7 of the board’s agreement, with you l is not possible, and we assume that you will at ance proceed with the construction of the Terrace drain under that section. The point, will arise as to the future maintenance of this drain as. between the two boards, and we would like now to state we consider that when the time arrives maintenance should be allocated between the two boards on the basjs of the area of land in each board’s district, the water from which is taken by this outlet drain. We raise this matter now so that the board’s views on the same may be recorded and! the basis of the allocation of the future maintenance defined. .We cpnsjder, also, that only the lands draining at the present time into Crosby’s drain (which will be diverted' to the new Terrace drain) should continue to drain into same, and that no lands not connected therewith, shall be coij'nected with same in futur,e.” Mr Johnson mentioned that the Terrace drain was half completed.

Mr Reid suggested leaving the mat-; ter te< the chief drainage engineer, which .was endorsed by the chairman, who expressed the opinion that the Lands Department .would see that the Nctherton Board was fairly treated-

Mr Johnson said that th© Crosby drain was i’eally a dual drain, as it was the only drain for a certain part of tlie Elstow Board’s area. The new drain should take all the water that would go into it. The chairman said the Lands Department should be urged to recommend that the maintenance be on a 50 per cent, basis, as it was the only drain serving the adjoining land of the Elstow Board. The clerk was instructed to write accordingly. ALTERING BOUNDARY.

A deputation comprising Messrs W. Matthews and E. Fisher waited; upon tlie board with reference to having some of Fisher Bros’, land now included in the Elstow Drainage Board’s district transferred to the control of tlie Nctherton Board. The land, drained to the Waihou, but the Elsto.w Board had not taken any action, although asked to As so as long ago October last.

The chairman said he recognised, the reasonableness of the request, which was one the boar.d had expected. The Netherton Board on its formation could not take the land, into its area, as it was already in .the Elstow Board’s district.- The sug.gested boundary would roughly divide Fisher Bros’, land in half. Mr Johnson mentioned that the Elstow Board h a d tried to provide drainage for the front of Fisher Bibs’, land but had found it impossible, with the r.esult that drainage had to be secured to the Waihou River. The clerk was instructed to take the matter up with the Elstow Board-BY-LAWS. The suggestion of the Hauraki United Drainage Board that the three boards on the plains should co-operate in securing suitable by-laws was brought forward by Mr J. E. Gdeen, who suggested that the boar.d be represented at the conference if it eventuated. Mr Buchanan said he disliked committing the board to any expense. He thought that, copies of by-laws could be obtained from other districts and discussed prior to attending a conference, which would most likely entail paying a share of the cost. Members considered that by-laws were necessary, and tlie clerk was instructed to obtain all available information on the subject and( inform the Hauraki United Board that the matter was under consideration, and that at a later stage the board would probably avail itself of the offer t<> co-operate. DRAIN RECONDITIONING. The Public Works Department, Paeroa, .wrote advising, that the reconditioning of the drains, promised by the’ Ji in is ter of Public Works, had been deferred until April as it was considered that a further, cleaning might be nec.essary this season if the work was done now. ANNUAL CLEANINGS. it was decided to call tenders for all cleaning work. The clerk was instructed to ask the Public Wor,ks Department to let the water out of the drains and to advise the board of the terms of its c.ontrol bf the flood-gates. The board agreed to cover all its contractors and their employees by insurance and recover the cost from the contractors.

CONCRETE STOP-BANK. The fact that serious cracks had occurred at two places in the concrete wall section of the Waihou River stop-bank near the old cheese factory at the last flood was mentioned by Mr Johnson, who urged that the atteption of the Public, Works. partment be drawn to the matter. This was agreed to.