MAKERUA DRAINAGE BOARD.

Shannon News, 24 February 1925, Page 4

MAKERUA DRAINAGE BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The regular monthly meeting of the Makerua. Drainage Board was. held on Thursdey, when there were presentTrustees J. Liggins (in the chair), A. Seifert, A. Altera, H. J. Hume, and K. Tippler. Overseer's Report. The overseer, Mr. W. H.'Miles, reported that good progress was being made with the lower end of the main drain, there being 25 chains yet to complete. The contemplated work on the main drain from the new connection channel to Seifert's tram line would cost about £240 to complete. Since the last imonthly meeting the Board made a tour of inspection to the various protection works under construction. Works Committee. Mr. a! Seifert, chairman of the I Works Committee, reported that since last meeting the weather had been suitable for the Board's work. The dipper dredge started work again, after the arm was repaired, about February 5. It excavated to the cor. ner then turned round and had now' travelled a considerable distance downstream. While going down it would excavate the channel to the proper depth and fill in the breaks left in the bank. It was difficult to estimate the time it would take going downstream to Ashlea bridge where it was to start building the full stop bank on the left side. The time would probably be five or six weeks. Dragline Dredge, No. 1 had completed the flood-protection bank on the right of the Tokomaru stream at peg 3 miles 52 chains not far from Makerua railway station on February 4. It crossed the stream, during the night, to the left bank and made an attempt to travel to Tokomaru, but got stuck in a soft place so badly that it took two and ahalf days to get out again. The ground was carefully tested along the v track the dredge would have to travel and sevei-al bad places were founa. Mr. Jickell went with him on February 7, and they decided against sena ing the dredge to Tokomaru, on acl count of the great danger in travelling over bad ground. This machine was now making rapid progress down the bank of the Tokomaru stream. Up to Wednesday morning it had banked 17 s chains. From the starting-point to the Kara Creek where it joined a bank already built was about three miles. Good progress was being made constructing the Okuku Road bridge over the Tokomaru. The next bridge that will be put in hand was the Okuku Road bridge over the intersecting channel, then Wall's bridge over the same channel. Since last meeting Madden's gang had finished a flood.gate on the left bank below Seifert's tram, bridge. They had now started making a double flood-gate for Loughnan's vegetation drain". After this gate was finished they would start making the flood-gate at the mouth of the intersecting channel. 'Mr. Jickell and Mr. Seifert had given careful consideration to the Okuku work. A report would be given in due course dealing with this matter.

General. . It was decided that the owners whose properties abut on the Board's bank be given notice that they were required immediately to repair any damage done to the banks by thelir stock. It was decided that a flood-gate. be provided for the pipes already through the banks at Whatanui and that the overseer arrange for the work to be done. The overseer was authorised to call for tenders for deepening the main. drain from the intersecting channel to Seifert's tram line, and the engineer and Messrs. Akers and Hume are to go into the question of deepening the intersecting channel from the Toko. niaru stream to Akers* drain and report to next meeting. The task of arriving at some decison as to the direction of A. Akers* outlet drain was left in the hands ox Messrs. Akers and Craw, with power to act.

Mr. Hume was appointed to the management cotmmittee with Mr. Selfert, who was granted leave of absence in the, event of his leaving the Dominion. Mr. Akers was appointed to fill the vacancy until Mr. Seifert's return.

Mr. Stephenson and his solicitor, Mr. Adams, waited on the Board, with regard to the clatter's claim for compensation. Mr. Innes, the Board's so. licitor, pointed out that the Public Works Department would probably accept all responsibilty. Mr. Seifert and the engineer reported that during January they had met Mr. Craw and arranged with him that the dredge be stopped and the balance of the work be completed with spade and shovel or horses and scoopa It was decided to pay Mr. Dalzell £4/10/3, the amount claimed by him for loss of flax.

It was resolved that 10 per cent, be added to all rates, excepting the supplementary general, unpaid by 'March 23.