MIDDLEMARCH DRAINAGE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 1 September 1909, Page 23

MIDDLEMARCH DRAINAGE.

A FORWARD MOVEMENT. The matte*, of draining the town of iliddlemarch again cajne before the Taieri County Council on Friday. The _secretary of the Middlemarch Drain-age Committee wrote requesting the council to take steps to obtain the proposed loan from the Government to enable the drainage of Middlemaroh to be proceeded with as soon as possible. The County Clerk pointed out that the drainage district had not yet been formed. Plans must aieo be lodged for inspection at road board offices according to the act. There being no road boards, plans could be lodged at the county offices. Cr Hay urged that there could be no lo^s to the council. Ihe residents of Middtemarch were determined to put this matter through. They were willing to tax themselves. " The Chairman (Cr W. Blackie) moved that the county engineer be authorised to prepaTe a plan. Cr Freeman said he believed this would affect the whole couivty. He objected to people wanting al) these things and not supplying particulars. Cr Hay personally guaranteed £5 for payment for thp preparation of a plan, and 6tat«d that the Drainage- Committeewould guarantee the cost of advertising. Cr Hay second-ed the motion, which was carried. The Chairman then ,Tnov«d— " That Cr Hay comnrunicatp wirh the Drainage Committee, and ask if "it would guarantee the cost of preparing plans uhould the iscfoeme fall through." Cr Fre-eman asked the council to remcenber that the whole cost of the Kaikcrai drainage schema had to be born« by the- Kaikorai Riding. That case wag "on all fouTs " with the position at Middlcmaich. The Chairman said he could see no analogy between the two. The motion was carried, and it was further decided that the engineer proceed to Middlemarch the week after next to confer with tit Drainage Committee*