Hangahunga Drainage Board.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43382, 6 October 1908, Page 3

Hangahunga Drainage Board.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the above Board was held on Saturday afternoon last, when there were present:— Messrs Hanna (in the chair), J. Orr, Makgill, and Waghom. Inward and outward correspondence read. Minutes read and confirmed. Letter received from Mr J. A. Young, as follows:—I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter, dated the 17th inst., stating that your Board has applied to the Minister of Finance to to know if the Treasury* would provisionally agree to lend them a further sum of £4,000 to complete the drainage of the Hungahunga swamp. I am pleased to hear from you that the district has immensely benefited by the expenditure of the £4,500 mentioned by you. As far as my humble efforts go, they will be in the direction of advocating the claims of your Board for a further loan from the Treasury, and as one believing in the principle of extending aid to those w*ho help themselves, it goes without saying that you will find in me a warm supporter of the proposed £I,OOO subsidy-. The increased productiveness of the country benefited by the operations of the Hungahunga Dr ainage Board, will, I feel sure, amply repay the State for any assistance which it may render. Mr W. J. Massey-, M.P., wrote as follows : —“ I have to acknowledge yours | of the 23rd inst., with reference to a new J loan f. r the Hungahunga Drainage Board. I will take an early opportunity of interviewing the Treasury Department on the subject, and you may be quite sure that I will do anything that I possibly can to help,” H. J, Greenslade, M.P. also wrote acknowledging receipt of letter and stating he would only be too pleased to co-operate with Mr Herries in the matter.

The Minister for Lands wrote under date. Wellington, 29th September, as follows:—Your telegram to Minister of Public Works, dated 24th inst,, has been referred to me, The position is that a voucher for £7OO was passed for payment at the latter end of July. The Board can only obtain further payment on the certificate of the Chief Surveyor that work has been done to the value claimed. W- H. Harries, M. P., I am in receipt of yours f 18th. I have had much pb asure in recommending your application to the Minister. A telegram was recieved from Mr W. H. Herries, M P. to the.effect that the Treasury have approved provisionally to new loan. A number of letters were received from the Treasury on the same subject. In connection with the new loan it was decided to hold meetings at Aratiatia and Waharoa about the first week in November. It was decided to apply to the Minister for Crown Lands for £SOO, being balance of Subsidy. On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr Magill, it was resolved to make rates as follows: —A, lsd; B, Id ; and C, id. It was resolved that the balance-sheet as read be adopted and printed. Mr W. P. Johnson was granted four weeks extention of time on his drainage contraet In applying for the extension Johnson said he was unable to get men to go on the job. The chairman pointed, out that all work on the road was hung up pending completion of the job. He would have to put on more men.

It was decided to refund Stanley’s deposit on No. 4 contract on the completion of the job and not until. A number of accounts were passed for payment.