DRAINAGE DISPUTE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 46, 23 August 1926, Page 10

DRAINAGE DISPUTE

A CLAIM FOR £1000.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

PALMERSTON N., This Day. An action was commenced in the Supreme Court this morning between. Frederick Spencer Eastou, of Foxton, aud the Mouto.i Drainage Board, plaintiff claiming £1000 damages and a writ of mandamus or a writ of injunction for the purpose of compelling the board properly to clear and maintain several drains draining plaintiff's land, that the board be restrained from deepening the Kuru Kuru drain before maintaining in proper order other drains, or so deepening the Kliru Kuru drain as to flood the plaintiff's land. The plaintiff alleges that owing to the flooding; of his land he had suffered great loss, being unable to graze cattle and sheep,. and .".is licensees being unable to cut flax.

The defendant board says that the drains were properly cleaned at the proper time each year, and that the flooding was not caused by the board's actions, which were in conformity with the statute authority.

_ After counsel's opening address, Mr. Justice M'Gregor said it seemed to him that the matter could be settled in a day by an expert engineer, who could go out and ascertain- the nature of the damage, ifany, and how it was caused. An arbitrator could report to the Court. The Court then adjourned to enable an arbitrator to be appointed.