MOUTOA DRAINAGE BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 462, 26 June 1909, Page 3

MOUTOA DRAINAGE BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the

Moutoa Drainage Board was held in the Board’s office last night. Present: Messrs Gower (chairman), Symons, Barber, and Easton. An apology was received from Mr Hammond.

Correspondence was read from the Board’s engineer (Mr Ward) advising that he was interviewing the Minister for Railways re the dredge. He had also interviewed the Secretary of Lands in reference to the working ot the dredge on Piako swamp, and had ascertained that Mr Breakell, the engineer, would be in Wellington shortly, and he would then get all information from him as to its working.

A telegram was also received from Mr Ward, advising that the Minister for Railways was ill, and that he would endeavour to see him on Monday.

The Clerk reported that the amount to the credit of the loan account at the Bank of New Zealand was 16s 2d, and to the general account 3s id. Since the last meeting the further advance on account of loan had been received, also 9s 8d on account of general rates. Wages paid since last meeting amounted to /3i 4 s 7d. Accounts amounting to ,£lO2 8s 3d were passed for payment against the loan account, and 3s 3d against general account.

It was decided to ask Messrs Briscoe and Co. for a quotation for gelignite and detonators required by the Board for the whole work, say a ton or more, in quantities as required.

It was decided to forward tbe plans of bridges, proposed to be erected, to the Manawatu County Council for their approval. The question of cleaning the diagonal drain, which had been held over from last meeting, was again brought up. Mr Easton stated there were 25 willows which required shifting, and also a couple of slips to be taken out. He asked whose place it was to carry out this work. The Chairman siid that it woulld certainly have to be done by the owners of the property.

Mr Easton said that the Board could not compel them to do the work. It would be cheaper to dam tbe drain. Mr Barber said that he was against spending money on other drains until the big drain had been completed. He represented the top end, and he did not want to see all the money spent at the lower end. He wanted to see the drain finished.

Mr Easton said that at present the diagonal drain was tbe outlet fqr all the water from the top end. It would be to the advantage of the settlers there to have it cleared. It would not cost much.

The Chairman said that if they did the work now, it would mean that they would always have to keep it clear.

Mr Easton contended that there would not be any work to speak of required to be done to the drain in the future. It simply meant that if the Board did not do this work, the drain would remain as it was. Mr Symons said that he understood that the Board was to put in the flood-gates, and the Moutoa Estate was to keep the drain clear.

The Chairman said that it was certainly a private drain.

Mr Easton said that the Board had put flood-gates on the drain, and he considered that by doing this they had taken over the drain. His firm were rated on both sides of it. If it were a private drain his firm could block it up and prevent any water from going there at all. Mr Barber said he would like to know the legal position. He had a number of drains on his property that he would like to have cleaned at the Board’s expense. After further discussion, it was decided to inspect the drain on yth July.