MOUTOA DRAINAGE BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 986, 2 May 1911, Page 4

MOUTOA DRAINAGE BOARD.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. At the Moutoa Drainage Board meeting on Friday last the Engineer’s report, which was read and adopted was as follows : “I understand that now is the end ot your Board’s financial year. It is also the end of the year’s dredging, as the dredge commenced operations about the end of April last year. During the twelve months, 113 chains of drain has been excavated. There still remains to be done 163 chains. Of the amount of 113 chains, however, 41 chains has been done since December 22nd, a period of four months. No work at all was performed in the month of July last year on account of the wet weather, and the four-monthly period above mentioned comprises about two months’ working with the width of 40 feet. There is no doubt that the worst of the work has been overcome, I append a detailed statement showing the actual progress made eacU day during the past month, and the time worked, the result being 7)4 chains or 165 yards, and the total number ot hours 131, which works out on an average of 1.26 yards per hour; the number of days worked has been 18. Considerable trouble has been experienced with the sand which has been met with nearly all the month. I therefore carefully inspected to-day another line of deviation suggested by your foreman, Mr Madden, in order to avoid this trouble and which is shown onthe accompanying sketch plan. It will be observed that it runs through the ByProducts paddock, commencing at peg 160, or 3 chains from where the dredge now is, and leaves an area of acres approximately between it and the road. The area taken up by the drain through this land as pegged out by me last month is 16 perches only. If the company will give its consent to this proposed deviation I recommend your Board to adopt it, as throughout the length very little sand will be encountered. I am of opinion that it will be a benefit to the land, which also will give them better facilities to more effectually drain their land and to which side drains can be more conveniently joined. As the dredge will be up to peg 160 in a week or 10 days’ time, no time should be lost in communicating with the company and obtaining their approval. I have inspected Duck Creek embankment, and find it to be well carried out with the exception of the first 6 or 7 chains from this end, which is not up to the level or to the specified widths. The contractor can have a further advanced .£45, provided that all wages have been paid by him, otherwise 25 per cent, of the whole contract price must be retained for a period of one month. The bend on the river side of Duck Creek for a length of about 5 chains had better be protected with a fence on both sides, as the material here is of a sandy nature; the object of the fence being to keep the cattle from mischief. The whole of the remainder of the bank excepting the 6 or 7 chains alluded to above is well consolidated and will prove of benefit to the district.”