MAKERUA DRAINAGE BOARD

Horowhenua Chronicle, 17 December 1926, Page 4

MAKERUA DRAINAGE BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. j The monthly meeting: of the Makerua Drainage Board was held yesterday, when Trustee J. Biggins occupied the chair. Other members present were; Trustees R. B. Tippler, H. Akers, J. H. P. Biggins, and H. J. T. Hume. . _ Engineer’s Report. j The engineer reported as follows oil the work carried out during the month: —No. 2 dipper dredge; This dredge has made very good progress during the month, having topped 40 chains of Tokomaru stopbanks (left bank). It reached Boughnan and Dalzell’s floodgate on Saturday last, but o,wing to a fresh in the Tokomaru Stream was not able to fully complete the gap at the floodgate. The dredge proceeded upstream oil Monday and is now working downstream finally completing several low places in stppbank, at intersection with old Tokomaru bed where previously it was found impossible to reach the requisite height. If the same good working conditions that have obtained during the last months are maintained, the dredge should finally complete it's work- —ending at Boughnan and Dalzell's floodgate—at about Christmas time.

Raisifig Kara stopbanks, fenders ; for this w<3fk, being 1 too high, were not entertained—amended offers for the work will be placed before your meeting. On the 6th Inst., a conference was held at Kara bridge between representatives of the Makerua Drainage Board and the Horowheiiua County Council several mattefg being agreed to. It was decided that the existing bridge across Kara Stream west of railway be raised to stopbanki level, new piles driven in place of the present sills, four short wings to be erected and ramps from new deck level of bridge to stopbanks: the Horowhenua County Council have agreed to provide the piles. An item that was not discussed by either side, was the question of timber for sheathing at piers. The Board, we think, 'should provide the sheathing from present deck level up, and also the sheSfhirig for wings, but in our opinion L% Morowhenua County Council should supply timber for sheathing piers from present deck to water level, approximately pieces, of 8 x S being required. Loughnan and 1 Dalzell’s Drains.— The contractors, Messrs. Hill and Walker, have completed' this work satisfactorily. Small Bridge Seifert’s 5 Main Drain. —A small bridge has bene completed to give R. Coley access across drain above new floodgate.

General.—Two officers of the 1 Drainage Branch, Lands and Survey Department, Auckland, are to arrive in Palmerston North on Monday nsext, the 20th inst., to inspect the Board's No. 1 drag-line dredge with a view of purchasing same. —Adopted. General. It was resolved that steps be taken' to re-classify the land in the Board’s district in the early part of th‘e coming year. The Board’s brokers are to be instructed to sell at once £ISOO worth of debentures. It was decided that a special meeting be hold on January 16 to go into the matter of the Board’s finance and decide on its future policy. The engineers were instructed to report at the special meeting on the total amount required to complete the works.

The engineers were authorised to proceed with the work on the watertable or drain on the main road. It was decided that the Valuer-Gen-eral be applied to for the services of Mr. Mackay, the district valuer, as the Board’s classifier, and also that he be asked to fix the remuneration required. The engineer was instructed to report on the floodgates in Mr. Tippler’s property.