MOUTOA DRAINAGE BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3955, 13 June 1929, Page 2

MOUTOA DRAINAGE BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Aloutoa Drainage Board was held in the board’s office, Alain Street, Fox ton, on Tuesday evening. Present were: Air. John Ohrystall (chairman), Trustees R. Bryant, B. G. Gower, and D. Purcell. Leave of absence was granted to Trustee W. E. Barber.

The treasurer reported that payments made to date on account of drains and stop banks amounted to £468 13s lid. Accounts totalling £254 2s lid were passed for payment. The works foreman reported that the following work had been carried out during the month: —Completion of the cleaning and deepening of Carter’s drain, ‘66 chains. Of the total length of this drain (86 chains), 50 chains had been deepened I's inches and all timber had been blasted out. The remaining 36 chains had been cleaned. During the recent flood, the men were unable to work for two weeks. The foreman during this time was fully occupied n,t the flood g-ate an»l in cutting stop bank's and effecting temporally repairs afterwards; also in examining all drains within the board’s area. A start had been made at Kari Kari North drain, but owing to excess of water, work had had to be stopped.

A letter was received from the Minister of Internal Affairs, granting the board authority to raise a loan of £20()0 for the purpose of erecting a new stop bank and other protective works near the site of 'the old Shannon bridge, also floodgates, excavations and improvements to the main drain. Mr. R. Bryant, further to an .inslpection of the site with members wrote agreeing to pay one-fifth of the total! cost of the new stop bank fronting his property near the old Shannon bridge. —Received. The District Engineer, Public Works department, enclosed plan and specifications of a more extensive stop bank. —It was resolved that Ah’. Ronayne be informed that' the plan involves a cost beyond the amount of loan allocated for the work and the board therefore adhered to the original plan allready approved by the department. Letters were received from both the Alanawatu and Alalkerua Drainage boalrds, stating that they do not possess by-laws. Only one tender for the work of erecting the new stop bank was received; after careful consideration the board decided that the price was too high and the tender was therefore not aedepted. A deputation consisting of Alessrs W. 'S. Carter (chairman), F. Hay (engineer), P. Baldwin (solicitor) representing the AlanawatuOiroua River Board and Air. H. J. Hume (chairman of the Alakerua Drainage Board) waited on the board, ,sde!king approval of ’certain cuts to shorten the distance of the river. An informal and free discussion .took place lasting about an hour and after the withdrawal •* of the deputation, the board .passed the following resolution: —“That until the fate of the main spillway is known, this board is opposed to any cuts, as suggested by the deputation.”