HAURAKI DRAINAGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5408, 8 April 1929, Page 3

HAURAKI DRAINAGE.

o MEETING OF UNITED BOARD. NGATEA PUMPING SCHEME. The Hatifaki United Drainage Board held a special meeting at Turua on Friday last to consider the adoption of by-laws in conjunction with the two other drainage boards operating on the Hauraki Plains. Mr H. H. Hicks presided ovqr Messrs. R. H. Heappey, J. C. Miller, F. L- Hamilton, s. G Williams, and the clerk (Mr, J. E. Green), Messrs. S. ;S. Murray, and J. Hamilton were granted leave of. absence, Mr Hamilton being in the hospital at RotoruaThe by-laws of somei other drainage boards were read, and! alterations, to suit local conditions were suggested. Extra matters noted of inclusion were the opening of floodgates, the installation of pipes for pumping drinking water, fencing and trees, etc,, on drain banks, particularly pampas grass, willows, and poplar trees. Tlie chairman and clerk were appointed to represent the board at the conference with other drainage boards on a date to. be arranges!. JUBILEE FLOODGATES. Mr S. G. Williams advocated the new Jubilee outlet, both inside and outside the -floodgate. The outlet was through made ground and ing was essential. Thtj area members were instructed to gO into the subject apd call tenders for the work. ANNUAL CLEANING. The calling of tenders for the annual cleaning,? 9f the less important drains was authorised. NGATEA PUMPING PROPOSAL. The cjqrk reported that in connection with the proposed pumping scheme, for the Ngatea Road district an engineering flrm had offered to • send representatives to a beard; meeting to discuss installation and working costs, etc. of pump& The ehairnman said that the point which puzzled him was wihat area was to ,bear the c.ost of maintenance. The present waid was not suitable as a rating area for the. maintenance, and it appeared the logical thing to create a new ward. This, could bn done, and would)‘take five wqeks for the formal procedure.. In the discussion which followed it, was mentioned that the drains to the pumps would require cleaning four or five tim-qs a year. It was stated that the .settlers were now adverse to a pump at Johnstone’s outlet. Mr J. C. Miller challenged members to point out any 'dr.ain ini the board’s district which, had been given more relief than the Ngatea road drain. The water that previously weint to this drain was now diverted in all directions. Mr Williams ventured the; opinion that a throttle at corner would divert 'water to the Kneebone drain where it could get away without doing, anyone any injury and would prevent the Ngatea roadside drains overflowing. It was reported that thq settlqrs were jnow very divided on the proposal,'. and it was suggested that the board should defer ac,tion. until seme was reached. Mr Hicks said that if the throttling suggestion was acceptable to the settlers it cculd be tried out. ■ The Roadside drain, and the outlets at Horahia could be considerably improved. It was moved by Mr Williams that the board su&init to the. settlers conc.qrned a proposal to instal a sluice gate in the roadside drain at McDufT’s corner to control the. amount of water going dowji that drain, and.to improve the roadside drain from Parry's corner to Kneebone’s outlet.. Mr ; Hicks opposed this, arguing that the Johnstone drain country would' suffer. Mr Miller said that the suggestion to throttle any drain was bound to create, dissatisfaction in some quarters. He asked if it would not bo feasible to improve the drain to Horahia, and see the effect before installing the throttle. Mr Hicks was of opinion that ■nothing would eventuate unless the Ngatea road drain was throttled. Mr Heappey said that the question was whether the boar.d, would back the se.ttlqrs’ pumping, lain proposal. In his opinion, the boiar'dljsliould raise, a very big obstacle on account of. thq question of running; costs. ■ .Mr Miller suggested making the Louch-McDuff drain a drain. v -

Mr Hicks pointed out ' that this would be of no use unless the Ngatea Rdad drains were throttled 1 , and this would force the water towarls Horahia and along the Orchard East Road drains.

After some idle discussion Mr Hicks said] that the board, slrouldi decide running costs. , . -

Mr Williams suggested: ' deferring the matter until the next meeting. Mr Heappey asked if the position would be; any clearer by then..

Members were; emphatic, that it would not, and that it appeared tg be. a. Waste of time to proceed 1 with the request made, by the settlers at their meeting, as they were by no means unanimous. Np area ex_ cept that directly concerned cpfuld he expected to bear the running costs of the pumps. The clerk pointed, but that if. the proposed pumping are*, was made into a legal subdivision it would |not be large enough, to raise sufficient money tf» maintain its drains. .

After much further discussion. Miller renewed his advocacy of making the Louch-McDuff drain a high'" level drain. Th© NgaWja, Road drain could then be blocked entirely. Mr Hicks argued thaa Johnstone’s drain would require to be made a high-level drain also. Mr Willianin argued that the Kere-peehi-Kopuarahi roadsirle drain, could' be made to shoot the water past the Johnstone drain on iits way to the Kneebone outlet.

It was finally agreed' that the clerk advise the- settlors that the “TSfcard ha.d c.onsideredi the matter at length, and that 'owing.to the. numer- . ous difficulties presented In the carry-*

ing o ut of their proposal as an alternative that it was prepared to consider improving, the roadside drain from Parry’s corner to Kn.e.ebonc s drain so as to draw more water to Kneebone’s drain from the proposed pumping area. This, decision was readied at 12.35 a.m., after many amendments and alterations to the original motion, upd wa s carried unanimously.