WAIKATO RIVER BOARD.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 89, 29 September 1915, Page 4

WAIKATO RIVER BOARD.

Monthly Meeting. lhe regular monthly meeting of the above authority was held on Saturday last. There were present, Messrs A. U.' (J. Glass (chairman), A. Lapwood, R. Clcphaoe, J. T. Cronin, S. K. Prendergast, and the clerk, Mr Ed. Hallett. APPLICATION FOR SUBSIDY. The clerk oi the House of Kepre* sentatives wrote Btating that the Board's application for a subsidy from the Railway Department towards the work earned on under the Board's jurisdiction, which had improved tbe drainage of the permanent way in the vicinity of Mercer, tad been referred to the Government for consideration. A CUM PLAINT.

A complaint in connection with an alleged bad rffect of the works on the river was received from Mr McR. Peacock, of Tuakau, who stated that if his information was correct the Waikato river had been three feet six inches above normal at Tuakau the preceding week, and that there must be samething, presumably the groynes put in by the Board, holding tbe water back below Tuakau. The works on the river, he claimed, were detrimental to the swamp country at Tuakau.

On the motion of the chairman the letter was referred t> Mr Kennedy, cor suiting engineer, for a report. THE BOARD'S AUTHORITY. it was decided to accept the powers offered the Board, by the Marine Department, to collect sand and shingle from the river and to spend all Government grants. THE MAUNGATAWHIRI STREAM It was decided that the chairman should address the ratepayers of the Maungatawhiri stream in the Pokeno Hall un matters relative to thi clearing of that stream. THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT.

Toe chairman, reporting on tbe work done en the river, under tbe Board's supervision, stated that fifteen willow groynes had been completed with a total lentgb, including the islands connecting them up, ot six miles, extending from the Devil'i Elbow to Maiora Bay. It would take six months to complete the close filling. As the pressure was getting too heavy on the lower giuynts it had been decided to open a channel through Maiora Bay. An expert had been engaged and the work would take approximately one week. About tbree weeks would ses the Devil's Elbow groynes completed for a distance of two miles. The depth of water at the groynes before they were erected was only one and'a-half feet, but now it was from eight to ten feet, showkg (hat when the Maiora Bay was opened the water level wculd lower considerably.—The repot t was adopted. • THE KATE. At a special meeting of tbe Board, held after the ordinary meeting, the rate struck at the preceding meeting was confirmed.