LAKE DRAINAGE

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LXII, Issue 18, 7 March 1941, Page 6

LAKE DRAINAGE

ELLESMERE BOARD MEETS

HIGH PERCENTAGE OF RATES

PAID

Members of the Ellesmere Lands Drainage Board present at the meeting held at Christchurch on Wednesday were Messrs H. J. Macartney (chairman), R. McLachlan, F. Miller, H. J. Meyer, F. Coop, C. E. Schaffer and W. Downey.

The level of the lake on March 1 was siin. above datum.

The rainfall at Tai Tapu for February was 1.94 in. *

Accounts amounting to £422/3/8 were passed for payment.

The secretary (Mr L. P. Foote) reported that receipts for the month included rates £1886/7/8 from the River subdivision and £406 14/5 from the Lake subdivision. The receipts for the year were £5995 6/3 and the expenses £3655/14/11, leaving a credit balance of £2339 11/4. The credit balance on March Ist last year was £1116/1/9. Rates outstanding were: River, £203/15/-, Lake, £11/0/10. The total rate collection amounted to 93.73 per cent of the amount levied.

Commenting on the finances, the chairman remarked that it was anticipated that the credit balance at the end of this month would be a little better than that for last year. The lake account would be in good order, and while the river account would be better than last year, it was not as good as he would have liked to have seen it.

Reporting on the month's work, the secretary said that the usual routine work in the drains and other waterways was continued. A tractor was brought from Taumutu to remove stumps from Blackler's drain. A number could not be pulled out for fear of damaging the bank, but these had been cut off [flush with the earth. Operations had been held up by an abnormal growth of weeds keeping the water back but these had now been cut. Work had been done on the river in the Greenpark section and cutting had also been done in the old river. There had been an abnormal growth of weed generally, owing to the hot weather, making additional cutting essential.