MOUTOA DRAINAGE BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4439, 12 April 1930, Page 3

MOUTOA DRAINAGE BOARD.

ANNUAL MEETING

'The anual meeting of the Afoutoa Drainage Board was held in the Secretary’s office on Thursday evening, presided over by Mr. J. Chrystall (chairman). Also present were 'Messrs T?. Bryant, B. G. Gower, D. Purcell, W. E. Barber and the secretary (Mr. G. V. Eraser). TREASURER'S REPORT. The treasurer (Mr. G. Y. Eraser) reported as follows: 'The bank balances to date are as follows:—Bank N.Z. ' credit, £B4 19/8; Post Office Savings Bank credit, £BO 15/4. The main ledger balances were as under: —General A/e. credit, £67 6/11; Interest A/c. credit, £l7 12/9; Worker’s Dwelling A/c., £BO 15/4. Accounts amounting to £204 17/5 were passed for payment. The chairman said it was very gratifying to see that the Board had ended its financial year with a credit balance.

The report was adopted. FOREMAN’S REPORT. The foreman (Mr. T. A. Robinson) reported as follows: During the month two days were spent to complete the work in the Kara North Drain to the point specified by the Board namely Dr. Wall’s outlet. Even.then this job was not finished and all day on Saturday, March 15th, was spent on the work but there is still four hours’ work left for one man with the assistance of the use of gelignite to remove a lew stumps in the last half chain. The Main Drain has been cleared a distance of four miles 24 chains, and the concrete bridge has now been reached, leaving 35 chains uncompleted. Mr. Purcell’s outlet drain of four and a half chains was also cleaned. Work had been carried on in connection -with concreting at the Main Drain floodgates and the foreman strongly recommended the provision of another six-inch concrete' wall on the river side of the double doors to prevent eels from burrowing under the concrete foundation which was already undermined. This work, he reported, could easily be done next spring tides. During the month the double doors were jacked up and the hinges well oiled as they were very rusty and the doors had been dragging on the concrete causing I Item to jamb when they should have been open. They were however, now working freely. During drain cleaning operations three big lots of silt had to be dealt with. On the opposite side of each lot was a high place in the drain and the foreman expressed the opinion that this was the cause of the silting up. 'the first silting encountered was opposite Mr. Gower’s property, the high place being where Robinson’s gravel pit bridge was washed away last vear. The second silting occurred about one and a quarter miles it]i the drain along Mr. S. Easton’s property, the high place being on both sides of Robinson’s Bend. The third silting occurred on Mr. E. S. Easton’s property, the high place being- located on the eastern side of Langley’s Bridge. The water in the drain during the past two weeks was very low, affording a good opportunity of locating places. Most of the contractors were soaking good progress with their work, but the only drain passed for payment during the month was the Kara .South. When the drain cleaning was completed ■ the foreman signified his intention of stocking wood on Mr. Austin’s property ready for burning. TIMBER MENACE.

Mr. S. Austin, of Aloutoa, wrote asking that the Board stack and burn all timber removed from the drain passing through his property as same would constitute a danger to fences if a flood was encountered. Mr. Austin also suggested that the spoil removed from the drain be thrown further back as a flood would take most of it back into the drain.

The chairman said there was one tiling certain and that was that the spoil would have to be shifted back.

Air. W. E. Barber said that the trouble was the spoil when removed from the drain was sticky and could not be thrown far.

Air. Purcell did not consider the timber would burn this season. Mr. Barber asked if the Board was .responsible for the burning of timber removed from drains. Afr. Bryant: Certainly we are. Air. Barber: Then we will have to provide for such work in our estimates in future.

The chairman said the request was an unusual one. The Board had more important work to do at present than shifting timber. He suggested, however, that Air. Austin put a man on to do the work and the Board meet the cost of same. Rfr. \V. E. Barber: It has never been done before and if it is to be done now it will have to be applicable to all drains. Personally he did not think the timber would cause any harm if left on the bank. If all the timber drifted together at one particular spot it might be a different matter. The chairman said rushes were far worse than timber from a menace point of view. Air. Purcell considered a big flood would take all the timber away.

Mr. Gower said most of the damage was done to fences by drifting willows during a flood. He had burnt ten or twelve big clumps on his property since last flood. He did not think either job should be done until all the drains had been cleaned.

'Referring to the silt menace, the chairman suggested that a pump might shift these obstructions from the drain. ....... _<.

All-. Bryant said a tractor op crated pump might, work very sat isfactovily if the water was agitated.

Air. Gower did not; consider the silling w mid do much harm as the • Lain was 40 feet wide. It was decided to inform Air. Austin that his request was unusual and (hat the Board could not undertake the work outlined by him until all drain cleaning work was completed.

The foreman reported to the meeting that he had now removed all slips except the one on Air. Gower’s property. Tt was decided to adopt; the report and the foreman was instructed to proceed with the cleaning of Carter’s and Smith’s drains as soon as the Main Drain work was completed. AIATN DRAIN FLOODGATES.

Mr. B. G. Gower reported that he had inspected the strengthening and repair work being carried out at the Alain Drain floodgate. A lot of metal and cement had been put into the job. Some difficulty was being experienced in locating the places where the. water was seeping through. A number of patches had been put in and a front sill constructed inside the gates light across the drain, and it would he wise to construct a similar sill on the outside.

The chairman said the water appeared to he leaking through the concrete bed.

Air. Bryant: It is coming through the foundation. Air. Gower said the leak was located by one of the piles last, year. Tl; had been a bad leak but was now stopped.

The chairman said that the concrete lied on the river side of the .vertical piles had never been sheathed. He suggested .that 12 by 2 tofnra. sheath piles he inserted instead of concreting as lie did not think it would he possible to work the concrete down very far. The foreman was communicated with and intimated that sheathing would not be any use as the timber mild not he driven down close enough l ogoi her. Concrete work bad been got down 3ft Gin. opposite the vertical and horizontal door pile and 2ft. Gin. on the land side. Ali\ Gower reported a crack right across the sill in the old doors on the outside.

Mr. Barbee .said the oraek deli fled that the structure was undermined and was not. carrying its own weight. Mr. Gower also reported that where the old and new concrete met the join was not very good. NEW' FLOODGATES NOT YET Approved.

A letter was received from Air. E. C. Hay acknowledging receipt of the Board’s plans of the floodgate proposed at Alain Drain Outlet and .Duck Creek together with specifications. Air. Hay intimated that although under the AfnnawatuOroua. River Board Act the plans had to he approved by the River Board before the work was undertaken, he had no power to deal with the matter until it had been placed before the Board. He advised that tin* lOlerlk lie communicated with and stated that he would be ready to report on the matter as soon as called on. From a preliminary investigation he could see nothing in ilie plans that would interfere with the work contemplated by the Afa-nawatu-Orona River Board.

The Clerk reported that he. had acted on the advice of Air. Hay and the engineer and Mr. Ronaync had since inspected the work but no report was yet to hand. The chairman expressed the opinion that it would now he too late to carry out the proposed work.

ll was decided to take no action until a further communication had been received from the Board. NEW FLOOD BANK COAIPLETED.

It was reported that the new Iloodlmnik oil Air. Newth’s property at Aloutoa had been completed. The bank having been inspected by members, it was approved and the work passed for payment. CORRESPONDENCE was read and dealt with as follows:—

From the Land and income Tax Department, asking for a fist of all persons to whom the Board had let contracts to during the past year. —Referred to Clerk.

From AH. IP. Woods, asking permission to raise the Board’s flood- - Inink near his -property at Whiro(kino by two feet, the work not to involve any expense to the Board. —Permission granted. Prom the Department of Tnter,nal Affairs, re the Laud, Drainage and River Protection Bill, intimating that as it was desired to complete the Bill so as to he available for introduction early next session any comments from the Board on the-matter wonhDbe much appreciated at the earliest possible date.

It was decided to write the secretary of the Lands Drainage Board’s Association, pointing out that it was desirable that an executive meeting be held at an early date to discuss the matter. GENERAL.

The balance-sheet was read and adopted.

1 Estimates totalling £1429 3/- for Die coining year were read and approved.