DRAINAGE LOAN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 303, 4 October 1946, Page 2

DRAINAGE LOAN

INFORMATION GIVEN TO RATEPAYERS DISCUSSIONI WITH CATCHMENT BOARD OFFICERS

“This is an opportunity of obtaining any information that you desire so that when you go to the poll you will be able to exercise your vote with a full understanding of the facts," said Dr. P. R. Woodhouse (chairman of the South Canterbury Catchment Board) discussing the’ proposed Ashburton-Hinds Land Drainage Loan (on which a poll will be held on Saturday, October 12) with a public faceting of ratepayers a? Tinwald last evening. Messrs H. G. Kemp and S. P. Taylor (member of sthe Catchment Board) and Mr G. R. Milward (engineer) were also present.

Mr H. B. Milliehamp (chairman of the Tinwald Town Board) presided. He said the object of the meeting was to discuss the loan proposals, ascertain what works w T ere to be done and the benefit to be derived from them, Tinwald had already obtained some benefit from the cut-off already made on the Timaru track. Dr. Woodhouse recalled that it was about a year since the board had met the ratepayers at Willowby. At that time there had been certain proposals to put forward. The Catchment Board wished to lift an advance of £IO,OOO to commence work immediately, to draw up a scheme for the whole area, to classify the area on a flat rate basis for drainage and for flood protection, and then to take steps to raise the loan. “We asked the ratepayers their views and at that meeting they agreed to the scheme 'in general. Though the survey work was not complete, they agreed to allow the board to start work straight away, and also approved of the flat rate basis of classification.''

The board appreciated the way the ratepayers had carried out their agreement. There had only been eight objections to the classification due to misunderstandings or minor difficulties. In the end all of the objections had been withdrawn and this was most satisfactory to the board. “Where we have asked you co-operation you have certainly given it to us,” said Dr. Woodhouse.

The £IO,OOO had been lifted and also a further amount making the total £14,000. Sixteen and a half miles of drains had been constructed, with five draglines, three belonging to the board and two to contractors. The scheme had been prepared and submitted to the Rivers Control and Soil Conservation Board which approved of it. In the case of flood protection work the subsidy woald actually be £2 for £l. Three-Fifths Must Favour Loan Three-fifths must favour the loan at the poll if it was to be carried, pointed out the speaker. “If you want the loan you must make no mistake in saying so.” The scheme provided for drainage in the rate A area and flood protection only in rate D area. The flood protection scheme was not designed to hold all'waters in high floods. The drainage scheme does not provide for internal farm drainage, said Dr. Woodhouse. Efforts are being made to give every ratepayer, at some point, access to a main drain. There wasi no provision for access bridges to farms except at cut-offs. The scheme would allow for the re-formation of fords, however. The rate on class A land would be two-thirds of a penny in the £ and four-fifteenths of a penny on class D. The loan would have to be repaid in 20 years. In drawing up the costs an allowance had been made for the cleaning of all drains once after their formation, said the speaker. If the loan was approved it was hoped to get two morq machines. The assistance of ratepayers would then also be wanted to help in deciding priorities in drain construction.

• “If you do not want the scheme, the plant will be disposed of or used by the board elsewhere. A rate will be struck over the area which has already benefited from the woi’k done, as the money already advanced would have to be paid back. For the information of Tinwald ratepayers it was stated that Tinwald came in for flood protection, and was rated D. There were two cut-offs and the Maronan Road drain, which was, in effect, a cut-off that would give protection.

In reply to a ratepayer who contended that it was unfair that class A land should have to pay a heavier rate than class D when they had to cope with water from land of the latter class, Dr. Woodhouse said that the board could not rate on responsibility but on the amount of benefit obtained.

Alleged that Benefit Not Obtained Mr J. H. Harper said he could not see how he was going to get any benefit. “I have open drains, but when they reach the boundary there is no outlet?” Mr Milward pointed out that there would be a 3ft 6in deep drain through the corner of Mr Harper’s property. “I understood that a drain was going down the boundary fence so that we could get cross drains running into it,” said Mr Harper. 1 Mr Kemp said that everybody could not have main drains running through their properties. The important thing was that they get access to a drain. Mr J. H. Grigg suggested that one of the Catchment Board officers inspect Mr Harper’s property. Eventually Dr. Woodhouse agreed to go himself to see the area to-day. “What administration is the Catchment Board going to have?” it was asked. “Four men and six overseers.” “That is a little hard, sir,” said Dr. Woodhouse. “This scheme is going to cost £90,000. A very careful survey has to be made so that there will be no faulty connections. It is a big scheme, and we have responsibilities to other bodies than ourselves. As far as we know every man is now essential to the scheme. We would always appreciate any suggestions regarding construction or administration. Speaking of the depths of drains Mr R. D. Robinson said that unless drains were fairly deep they were no good at all. '• Mr Milward said it was aimed to have main drains of an ultimate depth of 4ft Gins. It would take some years for drains to settle down. The rains that had just fallen had torn them to pieces.

In reply to Mr J. B. Nicoll, Di>. Woodhouse said that when the scheme was

‘completed maintenance rates would not exceed Jd in the £■ —he hoped it would be considerably less. The administration rate of l-10d in the £ could not rise above l-8d because that was the maximum allowed under the Act. There had been the purchase of office equipment etc. at the outset, and he hoped that there would be a reduction of these costs in the future. If additional works required to be done when the main scheme was completed, and if funds were still held, they could be used for small matters, but any major works outside the scheme would require the approval of the Soil Conservation Council and those benefiting would have to pay. If two or more persons wished to construct internal drains they could obtain a subsidy and pay the rest themselves. If it was found that something had been omitted from the scheme that should have been included in the scheme, then it would have to be 1 met out of funds for such contingencies, said Mr Milward. Mr Robinson said that it was the job of the drainage scheme to provide an outlet for farmers’ drains. He was thinking of two particular properties that would probably not get outlets. Mr Milward said that on quite a number of farms, parts would not be tapped by the drainage. > Mr Millichamp, in moving a vote of thanks to Dr. Woodhouse and the visitors, said that the scheme would be of benefit to Tinwald and the whole district. Concluding, Dr. Woodhouse said that with the co-operation of the ratepayers the scheme could be greatly cheapened. Sometimes it w r as necessary to send a truck and men long distances to repair a fence that had to be moved to make way for a macchine. If farmers did this themselves, then a great saving was obtained. “If you agree to this scheme the board will do its best to meet your wishes,” said the speaker.