NETHERTON DRAINAGE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5443, 3 July 1929, Page 2

NETHERTON DRAINAGE

MONTHLY MEETING OF BOARD.

The Netherton Drainage Board held its monthly meeting in the Netherton Hall on Friday afternoon, Mr G. Buchanan presiding over Messrs E. A. Chester, J. A. Reid, F. T. V. Johnson, B. Halligan, and J. E. Green (clerk), Control of Flood-gates. In reply to the board’s request the Public Works Department, Paeroa, advised that it was agreeable to the board taking over the maintenance of flood-gates as from May 30. On the question of payment for this work, the department had had it carried out by local settlers for a nominal sum, and it was felt that the maintenance should be along with that of the drains which the board had taken over free of cost to the department. The sum involved was exceedingly small. O June 25 the assistant-engineer, Public Works Department, Paeroa, wrote advising that from the Ist inst. the maintenance of Drain H and the Netherton flood-gates was terminated as far as the department was concerned. The Drain H flood-gate had been maintained by Mr T. Vowles and the Netherton gate by Mr W. Morrison. The Drain H 'gate had been leaking badly owing to logs. Tucse had been cleared, but immediate attention was necessary. Mr T. Vowles waited on the board and explained that some time ago a willow had blown into the H drair. and had eventually become blocked n the flood-gate, thus preventing it from ' working. An officer of the Public Works Department had been shown several faults in this gate, and repairs had been effected. Mr Vowles said he would not continue to maintain the gate in working order unless a grat ing was provided in the drain. Mr Reid expressed the view that the grating should be placed some distance up the drain, and the bars should be eight or nine inches apart so that small pieces of debris would not be held up. He was also of the opinion that a grating was necessary outside the floodgate. Mr Chester spoke of the need for winding gear to lift flood-gates when they required urgent clearing during bad weather. The gates could not be moved without such gear when there was a big flow of water. At a later stage the question of appointing men to attend to the floodgates was brought up, and it was left to Messrs Reid and Chester to appoint a gatekeeper for the H drain and to Messrs Halligan and Johnson to appoint a man for the main Netherton drain. Both committees were given power to act. The deputation which had been appointed to interview the Public Works Department on another matter .was authorised to ask that suitable, lifting gear be provided for all big flood-, gates. Extension of. Area. . 1 Mr J. Munro wrote asking that the board extend the boundary of its district to include 27 acres of his farm now in the Elstow Board’s district. ' Mr Buchanan explained that the r drainage was naturally through the Netherton Board’s district. ’ Mr Chester pointed out that the alteration of the boundary would be a costly matter, and it would take some years for the rates from the area to repay this sum. In addition, if the land was brought into the board’s area an outlet would have-to--be provided and maintained at the expense of the board. The question was whether the expense was justified or not. In his opinion it might be preferable to arrange with the Elstow Board to deal with the water from Mr Munro’s land.

Mr Halligan pointed out that Mr Munro’s previous proposition was for 40 acres or more. He moved that the request be acted on provided 40 acres were to be included. Mr Johnson seconded. He contended that the outlet required for Mr Munro’s land would be of benefit to some of the board’s ratepayers. Mr Reid considered that the decision should be deferred until members had become familiar with the proposed by-laws which included provision; for such a case. He nioved in that direction. The amendment was not seconded and the motion was carried on the. votes of Messrs Halligan and Johnson, the only voice raised against being that of Mr Chester. Rating. > The clerk explained that a drainage board must strike its rates on the unimproved valuation, but the limit fixed was the total sum which did not exceed that produced by a rate of lid in the £ on the capital valuation. Thus the capital valuation of the Northern Area was £32,520, and the total amount which could be raised was £203 ss, whereas the amount levied for the year 1928-29 was £lO5 15s ; so the board could, legally increase its rates to almost double. Payments in tho Northern Area to date totalled £55 12s ’6d, being £32 19s on works and £22 13s 6d on overhead. In the Awaiti subdivision the capital valuation was . £81,595, giving a sum on the maximum rate of £509 19s 4d, wheras £263 15s 8d had . been levied. -The expenditure was £263 8s sd, being £212 7s lid on works and £5l 0s 6d on overhead.

The capital valuation of the H Drain area was £87,220, ad the maximum sum which could be raised by rating was £545 2s sd, whereas £315 3s lid had been raised. The expenditure had been £192 16s 7d, including £l3O 9s 5d on works and £62 7s 2d on overhead.

In future years the amount of over-' head would be materially less. It was agreed that for the current year the general rates in the Awaiti and H. Drain areas be the same as last year, namely, 3d on A land, 2d on B class, and Id on C class land, and in the Northern area one-half of last year’s rate.