TAIERI RIVER TRUST

Evening Star, Issue 22639, 4 May 1937, Page 6

TAIERI RIVER TRUST

The monthly meeting of the Taieri River Trupt was presided over by Mi* H. Wilson. CORRESPONDENCE. The Perpetual Trustees Company Ltd., Mr T. Wishart (Henley), Mr H. G. Horn (Outram), and Mrs A. Gardner Reid (Henley) all wrote drawing the trust’s attention to the_ state of B dram. The last-named writer offered certain suggestions for improvements. —Members agreed that the mattershould receive attention as soon as possible, and it was decided that the inspector should be asked to make a thorough inspection of drains in the Outram district. Mr R. C. Rutherford, solicitor, -wrote advising that Mr W. M. Bremner, of Otokia, intended claiming damages for the loss of his crops ' owing >to : a .drain which had not been cleaned; and had, caused flooding on his property. The loss was estimated at from £2BO to£3oo.—Received, the clerk to_ send a reply disclaiming all responsibility. REPAYMENT OF LOANS. : The Acting Minister of Finance (the Hon. P. Fraser) wrote with reference to the application for relief under potion 15 of the Taieri River Improvement Amendment Act, 1932-33, for the year ended on March 31, 1 1933. He stated that the matter would be dealt with as soon as the other matters in connection with the easing of _ the burden on the Taieri ratepayers in regard to the £79,800 loan had been disposed of. —Received. . _ The letter from the Prime Minister" (the Right Hori. M. J. Savage) regarding requests from the trust for its release from part of its liabilities under the Taieri River Improvement Act, 1932-33, which was held oyer from the last meeting, was again brought up for discussion.—The letter was discussed at 'some length before it was decided that the subject bo deferred until the return to New Zealand of the Minister of Finance (the Hon.' W. Nash).; ' REPORTS. The Works Committee reported.having met on April 27, at Momona, where a large deputation, headed i by Mr A. Baird, waited on the committee and took members over the length of the Momona drain. On behalf of the deputation Mr A. Baird explained to the committee their inability, to receive adequate drainage, and submitted a proposal which it was contended would improve their drainage.—-The matter was deferred so that the trust could investigate the position at the next quarterly inspection. The committee also inspected the Loch Katrine drain and met the top gang. A large area was found under water, but Mr J. Marshall had. stated his intention of attending to the matter. Tho committee met a deputation and inspected Bathgate’s drain and recommended that this drain be cleaned out as soon as the Loch Katrine drain was completed. The upper-part of the Little Contour had been inspected, and the committee' recommended that the banks be raised where required. Mr A. Cameron met the committee and asked that the drain leading to his property lie cleaned and the pipes lowered. Tho conimittee recommended that this matter should be done when conditions were suitable. Doherty’s drain was inspected, and as soon as the more urgent work was completed it was recommended that this drain be cleaned. The river bank at Mr D. Cameron's property near Outram was inspected, but the matter was stated to be outside the jurisdiction of the Committee. The committee recommended that tenders be called for the cutting of a drain through the high ground in Mi L. Robertson’s property.—The report was adopted. ' , The Foreman reported on the work of the past month as follows; —Thirtyfive chains of the Otokia drain had been cleaned, and the new cut of two miles 30 chains had also been cleaned. The bridge at the pumping station had been renewed. A bridge was requiredat Mr Geary’s property on the HenleyBerwick road. At the pumping station one pump had been dismantled. The banks had been attended to. Three shifts had been engaged pumping since the recent heavy rain. Work on Lee Creek from Mr J. Dow’s buildings to Wyllie’s swamp had been completed. The river bank had received the usual attention. The report was adopted. GENERAL. Accounts amounting to £1,480 16s were passed for payment, and the clerk

reported a credit balance at the bank of £1,627,4s lid. In view of the large amount of work requiring immediate attention it was decided that an additional man be added to each gang for the remainder of this month. In this manner it was. hoped to expedite the cleaning ot the various ditches.