ARATANGATA DRAIN.

Shannon News, 19 April 1929, Page 4

ARATANGATA DRAIN.

QUESTION OF RELIEF FROM FLOOD-WATERS.

COUNCIL UNABLE TO ASSIST - SETTLERS ON EXISTING TEEMS.

EXPENSIVE REPAIRS NEEDED

A deadlock appears to have beer reached between the lloroAvh.enua County Council and the settlers . avlu. are desirous*of having repairs effected to the Aratangata drain. According to information supplied by the County Engineer, the restoration of the stopbank and floodgate at the outlet and the cleaning of the drain would cost hi all about £IOOO. It had been expected that a deputation of settlers would wait on the Council, but this did not eventuate. Earlier in the morning, Mr 'Andrew Guy had interviewed the County Chairman (Mr C-. A. Monk), and the question of restricting the proposals to the erection of a new floodgate was discussed. As it was understood that those interested wished the Council to contribute two thirds of the coot, no headway was made, and except for the elucidation of various facts about the drain the matter is in statu quo. Writing with reference to the Aratangata floodgate and drain, Mr Andrew Guy, of Palmerston North, stated that Mr Newman had handed him a copy of the report of the debate by the Council. Mr Guy thought at present that an effort- should-be made to form a special rating area to handle the floodgate and drain. He mentioned, that last November a flood .came down with the result that half the swamp land on his farm was covered with willow weed.

The County Engineer reported as follows: —"The survey of Aratangata drain has been completed and''thcTplans show the state of the drain in detail. The drain at present is fairly clear of weeds and growth, and work of any nature in the drain would bj money wasted until the stop-bank and floodgate at the outlet are restored; The old stop-bank over the floodgate has collapsed and is of no use at all. When the floodgate is erected, I would suggest that the drain bottom be taken up from the bottom of the drain opposite peg 30 to opposite peg 103. Although this drain is constructed on a public road and is said to be the liability of the County Council, one's attention must be drawn to the number of drains front the adjoining lands leading into the main drain. On the western side there are five drains lead; ing into the main drain. These Ave cross the road reserve. On the eastern side there are ten drains leading into the main drain, These ten drains take Avater from the Buckley Drainage Board's areas. The plans also show the height of the flood a few months back. "At the last meeting of the Council I was instructed to call for tenders for cleaning the drain. As the drain is at present fairly clean, I must refer this matter back to the Council for further directions." The W'orks Committee recommended that, as there Avas a possibility of a deputation of settlers interested in the drain waiting on the Council at this meeting, consideration of tlic Engineer's report be held over, pending the deputation being received. 'Cr. Kilsby said he could only suppl u ment the Engineer's report, A\iiich was pretty nearly A\ r hat lie, had expected it Avould be. If the Engineer thought that nothing could be done until a floodgate could be put in, th'3 Council had better leave the matter alone until they could get something in that respect, but he did not know where t-hey were going to find the money.

Cr. Catley said that 'his feelings after reading the report were somewhat mixed. He was satisfied thai- the authorising the Engineer to take the levels had been, on the results disclosed, thoroughly, justified. The Council now knew where they stooH in the matter; previously there was only conjecture. It quite evident from the nature of the report that the Council were not able to do anything at all. When the Engineer'said it would require the removal of 5000 yards of spoil from, the bank of the drain to give effect to the survey that was being made there, he (Cr. Catley)" had 'felt inclined to disagree with the statement. He had questioned the Engineer as to roughly what wanted taking out, and he replied that it would be two feet, over, 103 chains and that the total would be 5.000 yard.s ♦ The speaker had doubted this at the time, but after working it out he made the quantity 4900 yards.

The Engineer: We add ten per cent., you know. (Laughter.)

Cr. Catley: He also estimated it at 2/6 a yard, making £635. It is totally impossible for us to do that. I feel very disappointed over it. I have been interested in this drain, because I would have liked to see something done to give relief to the land about it. Through no fault of their own, these people cannot get rid of 'that Avaler. The Engineer also advised that he Avould not recommend anything to be done till the floodgate Avas' repaired. We have had an estimate of £365 from the Assistant Engineer, and the present Engineer, from, a cursory survey, •is not inclined to disagree Avith that. It is totally impossible for us to fin'ancc the work on that scale. I cannot sec that Ave can do anything till the people come along and indicate to AAiiat extent they are prepared to help. I had hoped a little from the deputation that was promised for to-day. It is just as Avell that the Engineer did not call for tenders, because I Avould not have been agreeable for it to be gone on Avith at this time of the year. It should be started about Christmas and carried from then on. You would then get decent weather in which to

do it. But to sta# on» r it at this time of the year, like Ave did last year, and keep the men there through the winter, is not justifiable.

'Civ Jensen said that in his opinion the matter ought to be looked at from a different angle. The Council, as a local body, weie required to act in >n place where there was no Drainage Board. The question was, what would, a Drainage Board do in a case like this? It avss quite ulain that such a Board could not do a work, like this without finance. A Drainage Board was formed where it was-to do good for, all those.w'ho would benefit, and that, he thought, was the attitude that the Council should take up; they should set the machinery to work to tax that area for the amount and let the people interested pay for the bene* fit derived. He thought that it was within the poAver of this Council to do that.

Cr. Gimblett: If they waut any relief they have to pay for it. There is nothing plainer, on the report, than that .they? will have to pay. If a new floodgate is put in and levels taken doAvn, AA'hat is the prospect of -resitting if the river overflows its banks? The Engineer: It will naturally" re-' silt. A floodgate will not deal with high floods in the river, but only with medium floods. I" have not made a survey of the river above and below the floodgate site, but I think' it-is fairly safe to say that a floodgate and Avail 'there would not prevent the high flood-Avaters from coming over the drain, and then naturally there would be a certain amount of silt deposited. The Chairman stated" that he had had a discussion that morning with Mr Guy, and from what he could gather 'from him it Avas f#lt that there Was no chance of forming a special rating' area; only four or five out of those avlio benefitted Avould be preparer! to come in. He understood that the suggestion Avhich Mr Guy had proposed to put before the Council Avas that those interested should make a request for the building of the floodgate and- not trouble about any future cleaning of the drain. Their offer, he believed, Avas that they Avould find one-third of the money if the Council would provide the balance, for the rebuilding.of the floodgate. The Chairman had intimated to Mr Guy that he did not consider this a fair proposition. It Avas not fair to ask., people in all parts of this riding to pay for work that would only benefit those in the immediate vicinity of-the drain. The people concerned Avould all have to be alloAved to suffer, and when they had suffered long enough they would say, "Let us do something." The numerous drain? floAAiug from east and Avest into the Aratangata drain Avere artificial cuts. • It Avas extraordinary that, if all these drains were necessary for draining the adjoining land —they did not drain any roads —the Council should be saddled with tAvo-thirds <3f the cost of any work that might be done

Cr. Ilyder said that there were so many cuts into the drain, and the -Council Av-ere so little interested as compared with the settlers, that it Avas up to the settlers to do the work. At this stage the matter was left in abeyance.