PLAINS DRAINAGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5471, 6 September 1929, Page 2

PLAINS DRAINAGE.

HAURAKI WEST AREA. MEETING OF BOARD. The Hauraki Plains West Drainage Board held its monthly meeting yesterday, Mr C. W. Parfitt presiding over Messrs. T. A. McClean. J. Motion, A. H. McClean, and A. Douglas. The clerk (Mr E. L. Walton) and the foreman (Mr E. Flavell) were in attendance. Foreman’s Report. The foreman reported that all work in hand except two Contracts on the Waitakaruru-Pipiroa road and one on the Ngatea-Pipiroa road had been completed. The timber and the first of the pipes had been delivered. Most of the drains and floodgates were working well. The chairman reported that one of lhe contracts on the Waitakaruru Road had been stopped by him, as the County Council was encountering trouble in the matter of getting subsidy. The Public Works Department argued that as the work benefited the drain as well as the highway the Highway Board was only prepared to subsidise half the full cost. E. Perkins had agreed to cease work on condition that he be given consideration when the work was to be re-started.

In reply to Mr Douglas the chairman mentioned that the greater part of the drain wprk would not have been undertaken by the Drainage Board had not the County Council required the spoil for haunching the highway, and agreed to pay Is per cubic yard for the spoil. The drains had been made wider than necesary for efficient drainage, and would consequently be more costly than otherwise, and by doing the work in this manner the board had forfeited drainage subsidy and had had to employ a foreman for a longer peroid than would otherwise have been necessary. » It was decided to ask the County Council to honour the undertaking entered into, the chairman and foreman being deputed to arrive at an understanding in regard to the quantity of spoil, with the county engineer. Subsidy. The chairman reported that the Lands Drainage engineer had asked for particulars of the subsidy required in the coming year. There was £520 available, and he had advised the drainage engineer that the allocation would be £270 for maintenance and £250 for improvements. Objection to Work. Mr Parry H. Sutton, Papatoetoe, wrote in reply to the board’s letter asking for specific grounds of objecstating that Davidson’s drain carried tion to the board’s proposed works, too much water, so that when the floodgate closed the internal drains were filled, and the lower portions of his farm, and that of Mr Miles, was flooded. The wrtier suggested that the board instal a flap in the drain which joined Davidson’s outlet near the floodgate. If this was done the private drains would be flapped. A drain was Suggested in the stop-bank drain near Paul’s wharf to prevent water backing up. Messrs. Parfitt and Motion were of opinion the draining of the stop-bank drain would be detrimental to the farms mentioned. It was decided to meet Messrs. Miles and Sutton on the ground to discuss the matter.

Penalty on Rates.

The clerk reported that outstanding rates amounted to £3BO.

It was decided to add a 10 per cent, penalty to those outstanding by the end of Sep! cm be;.

Election of Trustees.

It was reported by the clerk that on the first Monday in November an election of tiustees would be held The roll of ratepayers was now available for inspection.

General Rate.

A general rate of lid in the £ on all land classed “A” was decided upon for the current year.

Finance.

The clerk reported tha.U»the bank overdraft was £9BO, against which there was £3BO of rates, £6OO of Government subsidy, and the Council’s contribution.

Accounts to be paid when money became available totalled about £4OO.