A WATER-RACE DISPUTE.

Shannon News, 15 July 1924, Page 2

A WATER-RACE DISPUTE.

QUESTION of county response w BILITY. A long-standing source of trouble to the Horowhenua County Council was ventilated at Saturday’s meeting of that body as the. result of a letter from Mr J. M. Bertram complaining , of the condition of the water-race system through his property leased to Mr Gupper! He staved that owing to the leaking of the pipes a large proportion of the property had been turned into a swamp and he asked that the present pipes be replaced with watertight iron ones, failing which, or some satisfactory solution of the difficulty, he would be forced to take legal, action. The chairman suggested that a reply be sent to Mr Bertram that the trouble was not all caused toy. the County's pipe-line, as some of the land above the line was as wet as that below. He would suggest that this reply he sent, but at the same time it would, be better to deal boldly with the situation and obtain a supply of iron pipes so as to do away with the trouble definitely. Cr. Harkhess stated that the whole claim was one of jinisrepresentaSon. y A water-race had been put along the face of a hill and it was his .opinion that not only did it not cause the swampy condition of the land below,but that it had the effect of carrying off a large quantity of water from the country above. . . , * The chairman said that whilst he agreed that this was so, there was no use in allowing the trouble to go on. There, was no use in handing the trouble on to future councils. It had been suggested that earthenware pipes should be put in at a cost of about £SO tout if- they were going to keep on leaking at the joints it was useless to persist with it. It was better to spend £2OO on iron pipes and make ; a job of it. , . ' cr. Harkness protested against this. ' A committee had been set' up and had 1 recommended that a. scheme of earth- , 1 en ware piping should be put in. He ! would like to see -this scheme tried > out before spending a sum of several L hundred pounds on the work. He de--1 med absolutely that the water course . ' was causing soakage to the land and 3 redly thought that it was draining > it. He did not think it was-light to > burden the ratepayers lower down ■ when the existing trouble was not . 5 caused through the County’s fault. ' Cr Broadbelt stated that the work 5 would come under the heading of re- ■ placement and the cost therefore might * be spread over the whole. watercourse 3 system of the County. 1 : 3 Cr. Catley said'that it was time that 5 something was done ini the matter. If 3 the iron pipes would do it permanently they should be gone On with. A committee had been set up and had recommended that field pipes toe put , in. If the Engineer did not consider these satisfactory, they would have to reconsider the matter. 3 Cr. Jensen asked if there was a 3 claim against the. council for damage ' done through the water-race. The chairman stated that there was [' no question of claim. He was going 1 to move that, iron pipes toe put in. 3 Cr. Broadbelt seconded pro forma. Cr. Broadbelt asked if the charge ■ for tlie work could he spread over the ■ whole of the area of which this race ■ Was p .part. ‘ ' 1; ' The chairman - said that -the work • was done by the Buller estate and 1 taken over by the County, so that it r became a charge on the whole of the 3 County water-race system. V Cr. Harkness opposed the motion) r stating that if the work were done it 3 might open up a series of claims from 1 settlers lower down. He did not consider the leakage a serious one and thought that the less costly scheme

should be adopted. Cr. Gatley asked if the Council had no (responsibility in regard to this leakage. The chairman explained that the water-race had been made by the County for the Ruller Estate, the Cdunty stipulating that all responsibility for same should be taken by the Estate and their successors. At the same time it was desirable that the matter he settled once and for all and if iron pipes would do it he was in favour of putting them in and spreading the cost over the whole race system. Cr. Harkness mo.ved an amendment that the councillors for the Riding, Or. Ryder and the Engineer be appointed a committee to visit the work and report to the Council at next meeting. The amendment was carried, it being decided to write to Mr Bertram that the matter was under consideration by the Council.