KOPUTAROA DRAINAGE MATTERS.

Shannon News, 20 February 1923, Page 3

KOPUTAROA DRAINAGE MATTERS.

BOARD TO BE FORMED

A meeting convened by the Horowhenua County Council was held at Koputaroa last evening to consider what steps should be taken in regard to drainage matters in the swamp areas about Koputaroa, and particularly the portion served by the Taungata drain. Councillor S. A. Broadbelt presided, and there were about a dozen settlers present. Councillors G. A. Monk (Chairman of the County), J. McLeavey, Mr P. W. Goldsmith (County Clerk) and Mr W.- N. Anderson (County Engineer') were also present.

Cr, Broadbelt explained that the meeting had been called to consider the forming of a drainage board for. the swamp area in Koputaroa. It was the experience generally thai some settlers attended to their drains and other sdid not, but if the work was under the .control of a drainage board, attention to the drains woulu be given at the proper time and thus secure the best results. The area affected was some 5000 acres,, and a small rate over that would suffice for clearing the main drains and prove much more satisfactory than had been the case in the past. ' • ■ COUNCIL'S POSITION DEFINED.

Cr. Monk said in' the past the old Wirokino Road Board, and later the County Council, had given some attention to the drains, and it. seemed to be the opinion that because the local bodies had done this they were going to continue doing so. But the Council could not ' continue unless some benefit was got by the local body. Any benefit,that was derived went to the'adjacent land owners, who ' should do something to keep those

drains clear. It had been said the Council could be compelled to keep the drains open, but the Council would contest that opinion. There were two ways 4n-which the drains could be controlled, first by the formation of a drainage board to; attend to the drains and the other to strike a rate over the area and administer it by the County Council. As to a larger scheme for the construction of stop banks and such work, that was for the ratepayers to say, but the Council's attitude was that if, was not going to keep up drains for llie benefit of adjoining landowners, but would assist if the Council was to derive some benefit. so ! . far as the roads \vere.~concemed. Mr Tuiti McDonald said it seemed the eastern and. western landowners were represented that evening, and it was a question whether they were p.oing to pull in and work together. Cr. i McLeavey said, the whole district was affected—east as well as west.

Mr P. W. Goldsmith stated that the district came in the Manawatu-Orona River Board District, and he felt certain the Board took in a good deal of the Koputaroa district. the chairman said that was so, 1 ut if the Board was going to control the bed of" the river only, it would rotaffect the swamp land much. Mr GOJdsmith: In all boards, both drainage and river, it was the rule that the man who received the greatest'benefit had to pay most.

Cr. Monk said as far as he could see, the settlers should confine themselves to the formation of a drain-

age board. Mr F. F. Newman stated that ihe floodgate in the Taungata ■ drain belonged to the Council, and yet the Council would do nothing to improve il.

Cr. Monk: Would the Council benefit by doing the work? Mr Newman: It wquld protect the road-

Cr. McLeaVey asked would floods in the Manawatu come over the bank before flooding the road.

Mr Newman said the road would be affected first.

i RATEPAYERS MUST DO THEIR ! SHARE. j Cr. Monk said the Council would be .willing to contribute its share in a drainage scheme, but not to do' the lot. V I Mr McDonald: And you want the ' ratepayers to do their share? j Cr. Monk: Yes, that is the' position. ; Mr Newman said, some of the ratepayers, and fie was one, would be

quite satisfied if the floodgate were repaired by the Council. Mr G. Rough inquired where the Council procured the funds to attend to the drains in the past? The chairman said they had nut been attended to for years. | Mr W. Kilsby said he thought it was about .20 years ago since anything was done to them. ! Mr W. Ross expressed the opinion j the area was not sufficiently large m J form a drainage board seeing there was only one drain to control. If it was the whole district it would be ilil- | ferent. All the same he supposed it I would be the best thing to form a 'drainage area. So far as he was coni cerned, one portion of his land had sufficient fall to drain oil to the land below him. I'M-did not get rid of

the water finally, and there should be some means of doing that. Mr Goldsmith pointed out that the Act provided that in rating a drain-. ,age.area,- the land directly benefited was rated highest, land not so much benefited was rated next, and land indirectly benefited was on the\ lowest scale;' . ' • DISTRICT TO BE FORMED. Mflioss l then moved that a special rating district be formed to include,all lands that will derive benefit from the Taungata drain. •' The motion was seconded by Mr Newman. Mr Forsyth said thai would mean going right back to Poroutawjiao. Cr. McLeavey: Yes, il would not be lair lor y«ti."people to keep your drain clear-a'ud others neglect theirs. EXTENSION OF AREA DESIRED.

Mr H. McMillan asked how far tint drainage area would extend. He came there lb inking the whole area would be brought in, but from what he had heard it was only for the Taungata drain, fie would like to. see all the swamp near • Koputaroa brought in.

The chairman said the' whole area could be -brought in- U rested entirely with the meeting. There was nothing to prevent the people on the east side of the railway being included. Mr Newman pointed out that so far us the east side was concerned, that portion may require a lot more expenditure than the other side, which would not he fair to the settlers- in the west; v <.■'"„■.,

Cr. Monk said as far as lie could see there were two districts, the east and west. The meeting was called, however, to consider the land affected by the Taungata drain. The other land on the east side could be considered later, and a board formed to control it. He suggested that if the motion was carried, a small committee be set up 40' go into defining of a drainage area. The motion was put and carried unanimously. COMMITTEE'SET "UP.

The following were elected a committee to arrange the preliminaries re forming a board and reporting to a. future meeting: Cr. Broadbelt and Messrs. S. Spencer, F. F. Newman, E. McGill and F. Kilsby. The chairman suggested that the settlers on the.eastern side call a meeting similar to that held that evening to take in hand the forming of a drainafe area in that district, Mr McDonald said he thought the settlers would be quite in favour of that. • Mr Newman asked if there was any prospect of the floodgate being attend- ' ed to before winter. The chairman said that the Coun- , cil would say what could be done. The meeting then closed.