QUESTION OF DRAINAGE.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 289, 23 May 1929, Page 8

QUESTION OF DRAINAGE.

DEPUTATION TO BOARD. The assistance of the Putaruru Town Board towards the creation of a drainage area in the Matamata county, near the Town Board district, was sought by a deputation that waited on the board at its meeting on Monday. The deputation consisted of Messrs. J. S. Reid, A. R. Vosper and E. Nicklin. Mr. Reid, in introducing the deputation and subject, said that several properties owned by Matamata county ratepayers in the vicinity of the Putaruru Town Board area on the Arapuni road were subject to severe flooding, especially in the spring, and they were seeking a means of combatting the menace. A great volume of water drains from the Town Board area into these properties. The deputation were fully alive to the difficulties confronting the board. The hoard has the power to give assistance in the way of helping towards the maintenance. If the Town Board’s proposals re a | water scheme were carried, it would ; mean an increased volume of water l flooding the area in question. On ! behalf of those affected Mr. Reid j asked the board to contribute to- [ wards the cost of the scheme.

The chairman suggested that the J deputation should place their proposals in writing. Mr. A. R. Vosper said that whilst | the water had been a trouble for a 1 number of years, it had been accenj tuated during the past few years. | According to advice received by the ! deputation from an engineer the drains would drain an area of 5000 , acres. Some of the drains were open and some were not. The volume of. water from the Town Board area was such that the deputation thought that they were justified in asking the board to contribute something towards the expense. They were not asking for favours. It was going to cost £24 a year in maintenance. ! The chairman took it that the trouble was because they were not a constituted drainage area, they could not enforce people to look after their drains properly. j Mr. Nicklin briefly supported the i request. | Mr. McDermott asked if the Maori land adjacent to the holdings effected the position, to which Mr. Vosper 1 replied that thin was so. I The chairman expressed his pleasure, and that of the board, at seeing the deputation. The board were simply trustees for, the people, and they could not let their hearts run away with their heads. The board would have to have some concrete proposals before them, and he suggested that they lay such proposals with plans, etc., before the next meeting of the board. The deputation agreed to do this, and after thanking the hoard for its courteous hearing withdrew.