ARATANGATA DRAIN.

Shannon News, 16 August 1927, Page 2

ARATANGATA DRAIN.

QUESTION OF CONTROL. COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES TO WAIT ON MINISTER. Following upon a petition by certain settlers, it was announced in correspondence received by the Horowhenua County Council, on Saturday, from the Department of Internal Affairs, that the Minister had decided to alter the boundaries of the Buckley drainage district so as to exclude the Aratangata drain and certain land mentioned in the'petition. This land had been added as the result of a commission which inquired as to whether it should be in the district pr not. A petition folloAved, in Avhich some of the settlers prayed to be . excluded. The County Council forwarded to the Department its opinion that the Aratangata drain should, be controlled and maintained by the Buckley Drainage Board, provided that the Board had poAver. to levy rates over land benefited in the cleaning of the drain. With regard to classifying the lands for drainage purposes, the Assistant Under-Secifetary pointed out fhat if the area prayed for Avas excluded from the Buckley drainage district, the Board Avould have no poAver to levy any rates over that area. Further, there Avould not appear to be any poAver for the Council to leA-y rates over the area on a cUusified basis, the only poAver to le\ r y such rates being under Section 173 of the Counties Act, 1920, Avhich section did not fit the circumstances. He Avas afraid there was.no manner in Avhich a commission set up under section 65 of the Land Drainage Act, 1908, could deal Avitn the above aspects of the matter. The Council’s opinion that the alteration of boundaries should not be made had been carefully considered, but it Avas proposed to exclude from the drainage district the lands prayed for, Avith the exception of the Aratangata drain. Concerning the question as to Avhether or not that drain should be excluded from the district, he Avas communicating Avith . the Buckley Drainage Board. In a subsequent letter the Assistant Under-secretary informed the Council that, after fully considering the Avhole question,-the Minister of Internal Affairs had decided to make the alteration of boundaries prayed for in the recent petition—that Avas to say, the Aratangata drain, as Avell as the lands prayed for, Avould be excluded from the drainage district. The Avriter added that it had been hoped that it Avould be possible to come to an amicable agreement concerning the drain, and that was the reason for the recent correspondence on the subject. It had been found, hoAA T eA’er, that it Avould be quite impossible to arrange a settlement per medium of correspondence, and, this being so, it had been decided to adhere to the original proposal to exclude from the district all the lands added by the commission. The necessary Order-in-Council Avould be issued at an early. date.

In ans Aver to the last letter the County Clerk Avrote asking the Department to hold over the proposed issue of an Or-der-in-Council until after the County Council meeting. The chairman (Mr Monk) said the Department Avould like to endeavour to please eA r erybody. Whatever Avas done in this particular district, there Avere going to be some displeased parties. This district Avas gazetted after a commission had inquired* as to Avhether it should be in the drainage district or not. Then there Avas the petition by a portion of the settlers to be taken out of that district again. It AA r as submitted by them that they could remain in the district Avithout any cost to themseh’es —that the Buckley Drainage Board could declare that land a certain class and they Avould not be rated; it would reA r ert back to the (bounty. The Aratangata drain Avas going to be returned to the County; the Council lodged an objection to that, and it was felt by the Department that it Avould be better if that drain Avas left in the Buckley drainage district, and the Department intimated this to the Board. Since then somebody had objected, and suggested that all the land be returned, the line to go on the eastern side of the drain to constitute the Buekley area. That AA r as so palpably Avrohg that the Council should not allow it to pass without some protest. He suggested that they intervieAV the Minister of Internal Affairs and place the whole matter before him. The Minister eould not be cognisant Avith Avhat the Department proposed—to return this portion to the County. The chairman moved that a deputation Avait on the Minister of Internal Affairs and place the whole matter before him.

The motion was seconded by Cr. Catley, who stated that the drain should be vested in a drainage board, who should take complete charge of it. The Chairman: We will recognise our liability; that has been made clear to the Department.

It was decided that the deputation consist of the chairman, Cr. Catley and the County Clerk (Mr Hudson).