MANAWATU-OROUA DRAINAGE BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2642, 6 October 1923, Page 4

MANAWATU-OROUA DRAINAGE BOARD.

The Mannwatu-Oroua Drainage Board met at Palmerston North on Thursday, Mr R. T. Bell presiding. There was also present: Messrs A. Seifert, W. S. Carter, 11. Wilton, N. P. Neilson, 11. Akers, K. McDonald, W. Smith, and M. E. Anderson. ' ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer reported, inter alia, that Mr Goudie, conservator of forests, paid a visit to the Pox ton Heads, -accompanied by Messrs Linklater, M.P., Hornblow, and others. Mr Goudie appeared to bo impressed by the importance of the fixation work on the sand dunes, and promised to return in November and to make an exhaustive report. Progress was being made by some of the settlers in clearing up the banks of the Oroun River —others bad done nothing. The recommended that the work of cleaning the channel be undertaken by the Board and that the banks be donned up where the settlers bad neglected to do so, the work to be charged to them. The Board’s decision was required as to whether the loan proposal for the relief cuts at Foxion should be put before the ratepayers, or whether loan proposals for the whole scheme should be put before the ratepayers. The first course would menu getting to work quicker, the relief cuts would have a better chance to enlarge themselves before the overflow channel was Irnilt, and affected to a certain extent the extra risk to the Monton land by shutting off floods from the eastern basins. LOAN POLL.

A lengthy discussion took place as to whether authority should he sought from the ratepayers for raising the loan of approximately .0250,000, for the outlet cuts for

the Manawatu River in two portions by means of two polls, or whether a poll for the whole loan should be taken. It was generally felt that there was a good deal of risk that the ratepayers would not vote Cmthe small loan.

The chairman agreed -with this, hut said that when lie thought ot‘ the amount of work which might he saved if the lower cut was made first and advantage taken of 1 lie action of floods upon it, he was tempted to favour our attempting to raise the loan in two portions. He suggested that the matter he left over to the next meeting, members to consider the matter and consult with the ratepayers, in the interim. A motion to the effect was carried. GENERAL. The engineer was authorised to obtain prices for excavating machinery from an English linn, and was also instructed to obtain estimates for American plant. It was decided to apply for the assistance of Mr Mackie, the Government Valuer, in proceeding at once with the classifications for the-loan. The engineer was authorised to shift his headquarters to Foxton.