KOPUTAROA FLOOD GATE.

Shannon News, 24 April 1925, Page 3

KOPUTAROA FLOOD GATE.

A QUESTION OF MAINTENANCE. SPECIAL RATING-AREA SUGGESTED At Saturday’s meeting of the Horowhenua County Council a deputation of Buckley ratepayers, who were introduced ny Cr. Broadbeit, waited on the Council regardng toe floodgate on the Koputaroa stream, damaged in the flood of some montns ago, and wnicn Urey asked should be repaired by the Council. The members of the deputation were; Messrs. R. Law, H. Easton, J. Richardson, J. G. Peers, J. Bowler, and J. Swindlehurst. Mr Peers, in opening the case for the deputation, said that in November a flood htid occurred which had broken down one of the wings of the floodgate. The next flood would probably scour out the whole gate anu the replacement would be a big thing, whilst the repair would not be a serious matter. Every flood did damage to crops and grass and also brought in noxious weeds. Mr Law said that the flood gate was more than of interest to the settlers adjacent to it. It was of use to the wnole district.

The chairman: Gould you suggest, Mr Law, out of which fund this could he attended to. Mr Law: Tins seems to be a County affair and we consider that the funds should come from the County. Proceeding, he stated that the County nad erected the gate — Cr. Catley: Not the County, the Wirokino Road Board; with a loan raised by the residents, of the district. Mr Richardson; If k bridge was carried away, the County would replace it. Why should they not do so in this case.

The chairman; When a. bridge is carried away, the County has authority to raise a loan to replace it. They cannot dp the same thing with a flood gate. Mr Richardson said that unless the gate was repaired the people would not be able to pay their rates. As ratepayers they were entitled to consideration. The cost would be about £l2. The chairman said there was an aspect of the situation, which he would like to put before tbe deputation. When a Board was being formed to drain the Koputaroa stream with the assistance of the County, the Buckley residents had agreed to. come into it. The County had faithfully earned out their part of the agreement, but the residents of Buckley road had not kept theirs. He would like to make a comparison There were thousands of acres of lands down the coast where loans were raised to bring in water races. The people concerned did not ask the people of Buckley to maintain these races. The Buckley people were asking the people who already had their own troubles to help them. The correct tiling for the people of Buckley was to petition the County to form a drainage area, over which a rate could be struck to keep the drain and flood gate in order. They were the people, and the only people, who benefited by the gate, and it was only right that they should, maintain it. The land that' benefited would then be bearing the burden, and it was not too much to ask. Mr Richardson said he considered that the work should be done out of rates.

The chairman; I am only asking you to specify that part of your rates which should be set aside for the purpose. Mr Richardson; Then why did you not let us know this opinion before. The chairman: As a matter of fact we had written to Wellington for a legal opinion. You are now getting the benefit of that opinion. Mr Richardson: I thought you had got Martin’s opinion before. The chairman; No, that was not so, but we have got it now. Mr Richardson; Then tile only thing we can, dO 1 is to get an opinion as to whether we can force you to look after the drain. Thu chairman; You can always do that. Cr. Harkness said that if the Buckley people wished to have the ratepayers of the Wirokino Riding to look after the drain and flood gate, it was only justice that they should bear a share of the cost of the maintenance of the waterrace. The Council had to hold the balance level between the ratepayers of the whole County, and as one part of the ratepayers were paying for the maintenance of their own services, then it was a fair thing that the principle should be general. Mr Law said that the flood-gate formed a bridge on a County road as well as a flood-gate. For this reason it was a County liability. He was at present trying to get a Drainage Board formed, to join up with the Buckley Board to control the whole business. The chairman said that the deputation was forcing a situation which was an invidious one. The time was coining when the maintenance 01. services which benefited only local areas would be so high, that the whole of the County’s revenue would be taken up to pay for theni. Legislation would have to be passed dealing with the matter. If the floodgate was a benefit to a road only, the argument of the deputation would be sound, but it was a benefit to certain lands. If the people concerned would be prepared to form a rating area, the County would be willing to shoulder their lair share of the responsibility, but the principle oi the tiling, as at present standing, was wrong. What should have been done, when the flood-gate was erected, was to form a special rating area to maintain it. This had been neglected, and now the only thing to do was to petition for one to be formed. Cr, Broad'belt said that when the drain in question was formed, it was done for the special purpose of draining certain lands. The road was merely an- Incidental matter. Cr. Ca.tley strongly urged the deputation to consider tb e chairman’s proposal of forming a rating district. Speaking for himself he lived on the opposite end of the Wirokino Riding and it was not right in principle to ask him to help with a work that was of no benefit to him. He stated that he was sure that the residents of Buckley would find that they wofdd get greater satisfaction from the for-

illation of a rating area, than by relying on the County tQ do the work. Mr Law said that he had tried t 0 form a district such as had been suggested and had failed. What was he toi do now? Cr. Harkness asked if the Co;unty agreed to put the gate in order, would those present agree to do all in their power to form a rating district. Mr Richardson said that all those present were willing to do so. The chairman suggested that a meeting be held on the ground, where the whole matter could be thrashed out. He was certain that every man would be willing to do his. share. Tin 1 Council had to consider the principle involved. The present councillors might go out next election, and every time they gave way on these cases, would compromise the County. Mr Richardson asked if the floodgate could be repaired in the meantime.

The chairman: If we do that we’Jl have no meeting. (Laughter). Mr Peers asked whether, if a drainage area were formed, the County would also be willing to take over the control of the stop-banks, which were perhaps a bigger consideration to Buckley than was the flood-gate. The chairman: If you join with the Buckley Drainage Board that will, of course, supersede, pny arrangement with the County. One thing the County would do was hand over the floodgate in good order, if anything definite were done.

Cr. Broadbelt asked if any of Uio.se present would do the work f° r £*2. Mr Easton agreed to this, it being decided that he and. the Engineer arrange details. Cr. Broadbelt said that he considered that the County should fix the flood-gate in the present instance. H those present would make every endeavour to get a Drainage Board formed then some finality might be arrived The chairman said that from what he could see, the great trouble would be from the stopbanks, and 'not from tbe flood-gate. For that reason H would be advisable to consider joining a Drainage Board. It must be kept in mind that the Council was quite willing to contribute to any expenditure necessary, In accordance with the benefits it might derive.

The deputation then thanked Council and withdrew, it being agreed that a meeting of those whose properties were affected by the flood-gate, should be called at Koputaxoa at an early dpte.