Mukaka River Board.

Manawatu Herald, 13 June 1895, Page 2

Mukaka River Board.

The adjourned meeting of the above Board wa3 held at the Library buildings on Tuesday at 10.30 a.m. Present — The Chairman (R. Gardner) Messrs Gower, Langdon, Nye and Carter.

A special meeting was held at 11 o'clock to confirm a special order adopting " The Loans to Local Bodies Act," which was carried.

The ordinary meeting was resumed.

Mr Gardner said the tenders for No. 1 contract wa3 called for repairs to the inner bank. Mr Strang had urged that this should not be done. It was a question whether it was worth opening these tenders under these conditions.

Mr Gardner said he intended to refuse to let any tenders until the loan was agreed to. It might occur if work was done where the many reside there might be. a difficulty in getting their assistance towards a loan afterwards.

The following letter was handed in by Mr Edwards and read : — " I beg to protest against the erection of the proposed bank on my property at Moutoa on the following grounds, (amongst others) that unless some efficient plan is carried out to investigate the great scour and inrush of water on to my property during a flood, the proposed bank would only be washed away during each flood, and the continual reerection would ultimately lead to the

total destruction of a very large area of land and greatly depreciate the value of my farm at the same time fail to serve the purpose it is supposed to do. A personal inspection of the site will supply ample evidence ot my statements."

Mr Nye thought there had been a mistake made in not having appointed a competent engineer to fix the site of the embankment. It had been seen by the members that the' banks had not always been erected in the right places. In case of litigation the Boaid would be supported by such an officer. It was clear that in places land wouid have to be acquired. The Board had no business to seek permission from settlers as to where the embankment should be put, but it must be put where it was considered by an engineer best. Mr Langdon quite agreed with Mr Nye and it had been his opinion from the start.

Mr Nye said the Act went further than embanking, it gave power to

protect the river bank. The question arose how money was to be found for groins, and bow long they might be expected to last. It was a very big question.

Mr Carter thought the embankment through Mr Edward's land must be done, or the other contracts let would be useless.

Mr Edwards attended and desired that no embankment should be erected unless the river bank was protected. He thought this was not the proper time to erect a bank.£3| There will be many floods tip to *" November. It should be done in the summer.

The Chairman had a long con* versation with Mr Edwards who left apparently satisfied that it was the desire of the Board to do only what was right.

On the question of opening tenders a discussion arose as to whether it was advisable to let any more work until the matter of a loan had been settled.

Mr Nye said he could not ask his constituents to agree to a loan unless the Board agreed to the proposals he had submitted to them.

MrGower thought that the erection of the bank at once would not lead the settlers to refuse to agree to a loan. He thought the work should be done.

Mr Carter held that tenders should be opened and dealt with.

Mr Langdon agreed with his view.

Proposed by S. Garter, seconded by W. Langdon, That tenders in* vited be now opened.

On a division the resolution was carried, Messrs Garter, Langdon and Gower voting in favour, and Messrs Gardner and Nye against. The tenders were then opened. For No. 1 contract, W. Parlane, B. Walden, M. Doherty and J, Julian tendered.

For No. 2 contract they were, John Burr, W. Parlane, M. Doherty and J. Julian.

For No. 7 contract, D. McDonald, W. H. Howe, G. Harnish, Howe and Wakefield and T. Glen tendered.

Mr Strang waited upon the Board and suggested that the Act thought ordering tenders to be called over £20 permitted the same work to be let by private tender if the first ten* ders were considered too high. A man offered, he understood, to do the work on No. 1 contract at £15. He wanted to know as to a loan, how the sum would be raised, in what proportion paid for, &c, until he was satisfied he would object to a

loan. He believed the damage done in the future Would be done in the lower district. As matters were now he believed every ratepayer would object to a loan until he knew nOW thß land would be classified. Mr Gardner expressed Himself very dissatisfied with Mr Strang's explanation. Proposed by S. Carter, seconded WW. Langdon, That the lowest lenders for contracts No. 2 and 7 be accepted, and the Overseer be in* structed to have No. 1 contract done at a cost not exceeding £15 to £17. Carried on a division by 3 to 2, the dissentients being Gardner and Nye. Proposed by W. tiatigdoOj seconded by R. Gardner, That the chairman be empowered to get the gap at the Kari just below the floodgate filled up, MrF. Munden waited upon the Board and explained that he had put in a tender at the last meeting for No. 14 but he marked the contract as for No. 4. He would do the work in No. 14 for £3 10s Od. The Board decided to let the work to the next lowest tenderer.

The Board agreed to meet on Saturday at 10.30.