REDUCED RATE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 158, 16 April 1949, Page 4

REDUCED RATE

DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE

Ashburton-Hinds Scheme

'Much the greater part of Thursday’s meeting of the South Canterbury Catchment Board at Timaru was devoted to consideration of maintenance costs of the Ashburton-Hinds drainage scheme. After a deputation from the area had been heard, and following a further long discussion, the board decided to reduce the proposed maintenance rate from 7-Sd (A class land) and 7-10 d (D) to id and l-10d respectively. Farmers are to be instructed to clear weeds from the drains through their properties, but shingle de- / posits will he cleared by the board as a capital charge. These arrangements are for the current year only and must be confirmed at the May meeting.

Mr S. Lill, first speaker for the deputation, stated that the settlers of the area were concerned over certain aspects of the scheme and very vitally over the matter of maintenance. A meeting of about 80 was held and the deputation was the sequel.. One recommendation was that farmers should maintain their own drains, for' then the work could be carried out at the most suitable time. Ratepayers certainly felt that the board had committed itself to maintenance of the drains, but there was the objection mentioned if they performed the actual work. The settlers considered that the cleaning could best be carried out on a contract basis, each farmer paying so much per hour for the time taken by the dragline or other machine to deal with his section of the drain. There was an objection to the fiat maintenance rate, for it was .considered unfair that the men with no drains through their properties should pay for work on drains owned by others. It was felt, too, that if a rate were levied, it would not be fair under the present land classification. The farmers would clear out weed growth, but a machine would be essential for removing shingle, etc. Payment for that machine, whether provided by the board or a private person, would he made on an hourly rate. Where the drain was a roadside one, cost would be shared between the board and the owner. Boundary drain costs would be divided between the two owners.

Rate isr All Time

Mr. S. P. Taylor, the next speaker for the deputation, contended that board memoers could not have the same knowledge of me district needs as those who had lived there all their lives. The proposed maintenance rate would be for ait .time, and there were many inequalities which must first be vroned out. This was especially the case with many soldier settlers in the district. The rating values in the district ranged from £6 to £34 per acre. Mr R. Cocks said that it was felt that, should the board do the work, it would be impossible to complete this in the most suitable period (AprilMay). It was plain that a maintenance rate was inevitable, but it was hoped this would be small. , Messrs R. Bruce, P. Cookson and W. M. Skevihgton also dealt with various aspects of the matter. , Messrs Lill and Taylor both urged that the whole scheme be now finalised, so cutting out various continuing costs. This was the opinion of the vast majority of the ratepayers, who felt that much was going out in overhead without any adequate return. There was a balance of about £6OOO of the loan unexpended and, it was suggested, this money' might be used for the initial cleaning which would be the most expensive.

In a brief reply, the chairman (Dr. P. R. Woodhouse) agreed that there we're unavoidable anomalies under a flat rate. Under the original plan it was int,* ded that -the fir 4 cleaning should be done out of capital, but whether this could be done was not yet known. The land classification plan was accepted by settlers originally and throughout the district, there were only about 10 objections lodged and all these were subsequently withdrawn. It had always been made plain to ratepayers that a maintenance rate would be necessary, and that acceptance of the proposal meant acceptance of a maintenance rate. Under the Act it was explicitly laid down that the classification of land must be the same for the original rate as for the maintenance.. Mr Taylor: “Legislation can be altered.” “Not before the *worlc has to be done,” replied the chairman. After Mr Lill and other speakers had replied to a number of questions, the deputation withdrew.

Consideration by Board

When rates for the year were considered later in the meeting, the representations by the deputation were referred to again. The chairman commented on the various points raised and suggested, that one way out of the difficulty would lie to carry out the first cleaning from the unexpended capital, but that might mean cutting out the remaining drains planned. If, however, the suggested rate of 7-8 d on “A” and 7-20 d on “D” class land were halved, then the extra work projected might be possible. Apart from that, however, the board had the right to raise an additional loan equal to 10 per cent, of the original. If this were done, it would free the unexpended balance of the original amount. The chief engineer (Mr W. E. Lucy) estimated the cost of one cleaning at £4OOO, while about £IOOO would be required for remaining work authorised. If the subsidiary loan were raised, it was probable that £12,000 would be available from all sources (including subsidies and a possible £I.OOO from the Ashburton County ■ mic' . Such a resul- wc-uld have £7OOO for any additional works, for instance inclusion of further drains, etc.

Mr H. G. Kemp stated that, according to comments by farmers, the present was the time for cleaning drains. Admittedly, also, there were obviouk inequalities in rating, but that must occur under almost any scheme. It seemed to him only reasonable that the board, as originally it had intended, should carry out the initial cleaning of shingle, etc. Under its by-laws, too, the board could also instruct farmers to clear weeds

- Mr Kemp then moved that the maintenance rate for the coming year be id for “A” and l-10d for “D”

class land, that the first cleaning of shingle be paid for out of capital and that farmers be instructed, under the by-laws, to clear weed growths. This was seconded by Mr R. D. Robinson, who considered there was no possibility of the board performing weed clearing work before winter. Thus, the suggestion by Mr Kemp was the only possible, one facing the On the suggestion of the chairman, the motion was altered to include provision for advertising the move and calling for written objections to the proposed step, which will be confirmed at next month’s meeting. Mr W. H. Hall, as an amendment, moved that the “A” class rate be' and “D” class rate l-sd. This was seconded by Mr W. B. Trotter. Mr Robinson pointed out that if farmers had to pay a £d rate, as well as clear weeds, the cost to them would be more than the'7-8d rate first sugCTO3tG(I. The amendment was put to the meeting and Mr Kemp’s motion was carried by seven votes to two.

Details of Work

According to a report placed before the meeting, the whole scheme was estimated to cost £90,000, with a subsidy of £1 for £1 on drains and £2 for £1 for cut-offs. Expenditure had totalled £84,000. including £23,000 for the past year and £3OOO for the last quarter. Work completed to date comprised 149 miles of drains and nine miles of cut-offs being 98.4 per cent, of the original scheme.To date 490.942 cubic yards have been excavated, at an average cost of v 27d per yard, compared with the estimate of 30d. Last month the average cost over 2803 cubic yards was 31d. Only 1.7 per cent, of excavation . originally"planned remains to be com pleted.