HORAHIA DRAINAGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4990, 21 June 1926, Page 4

HORAHIA DRAINAGE.

MONTHLY BOARD MEETING.

The. regular meeting of the Horahia Drainage Boa ; rd was held at Mr F. A. Kneebone’s residence, Horahia, on Thursday, Mr Kneebone presiding over the following: Messrs R. L. Davies, W. McDuff, J. M, Thompson, J, C, Miller. W, E, Hale, S, fii, Murray, and the clerk, Mr W. E. G. Willy. TAIPARI’S OUTLET. A Thames legal firm forwarded a telegram from Erinui Taipari accepting the board’s conditions in regard to crossings and fences on the drain proposed to be constructed on his land. Mr T. J. Pennell, Thames, wrote ■asking for permission to withdraw his tender for Taipari’s drain construction. Fresh tenders w'ere to be called. SLOANE’S DRAIN. Mr A. C. Lowe, Thames, wrote stating that he could not go on with his contract on Sloane’s drain. He lia,d tendered Is Id per yard on 5554 cubic yards mentioned in the estimate, and had since had the quantities calculated and had found that the. yardage was 8031. The clerk said .that Lowe’s friend had taken his levels from the tops <if the pegs, and not from the ground level. If this was done the estimate would be found to be satisfactory. Mr Lowe had not commenced work, and other arrangements had been made. ROAD CULVERTS. The Plains County Council Advised that permission to place culverts under certain roads had been .granted provided the road surfaces were, restored as near as possible to their former condition. SUBSIDIES. The Public Works Department advised having deposited £4OO to the board’s credit in the bank, being portion of the sum granted for the construction of floodgates at Shelly Beach and at the Hudson-Christie drain. PURCHASE OF LAND. The Commissioner of Crown Lands wrote sta.ting that the board’s application for Section 24, Block 11, Waihou Survey District, had received approval. Payment could be made in six annual instalments of £2O on the understanding that no title, would be isued until the final payment has been made. It was agreed to purchase the section, which is situated at the corner of Piako and Kopuarahi roads. PIGS' IN DRAINS. Complaints were made by contractors that pigs were damaging dra.ins under the board’s control, and it was decided that offending owners be written to advising them that it was the board’s intention to taka legal action immediately in future. JOHNSTONE’S OUTLET. The chairman said that he. was of opinion that the floodgate at Johnstone’s outlet was not big enough, a.nd that a four foot gate would be advisable. Members agreed that the matter was not urgent, and the subject was dropped. PRICE’S DRAIN. Arising out of a discussion on improvement works on Price’s outlet, and the advisability of having the spoil banks graded back it was decided that an inspection of the drain be made. OBJECTION TO WORK. Mr F. A. Burfoot, Turua, wrote objecting to the board’s proposal to construct a drain through his property unless compensation was granted. His farm was small and considerable areas were occupied by drains. There were shelter-trees on the proposed route, certain fencing would have to be done, and some of his own drains would be rendered useless. The writer concluded by saying that he did not object to the work as proposed, but he claimed compensation 'for the items mentioned. He wa.s agreeable to meet the boa.rd in a reasonable spirit, with a view to coming to an amicable arrangement as to compensation, the value of which he did not necessarily require in money, but in fencing and material to be supplied.

The. board’s foreman, Mr E. Flavel, reported tha v t there were 60 willow trees, and they could be shifted. About thirty posts and five strainers would be required for the fencing. The chairman and Mr Murray were deputed to confer with Mr Burfoot. NEW WORK. Tenders for the construction of new drains were dealt with in committee, and on the motion of the chairman, tenders were let to the following contractors, no prices being given in open meeting : Sloan’s drain, Mr Ivan ; Taipara’s drain, Mr Phillips ; Kneebone’s drain, Mr McCoid; Shellbank and Miller’s drains, Mr Erceg. WILLOW DRAIN. Mr Thompson drew attention to a number of slips that had occurred in the. Willow dra’in, and asked that the foreman go into the matter. A suggestion was made by Mr Thompson that a corner where the Willow drain and the Te Kauri drain joined be ea.sed by the construction of a short drain on Mr McMillan’s land similar to the work done at other corners on the drain. GRANT MONEY. The clerk reported that up to date the boa,rd had authorised expenditure approximately £1507 of grant money, and £3882 of loan' money. In the northern area the grant money spent totalled £578 15s, and there was £l4O 5s a,vailable ; . in the cenral area £195 15s had been spent, and £417 'ss was available; ajid in the southern area £587 had been spent, and £l9 was still unspent. GENERAL ITEMS. The board’s foreman was instructed to place permanent check level pegs one foot back from the banks of proposed drains, a f s the surveyor’s pegs are sometimes removed in excavation.

The clerk was grafted a, bonus of £2 a month for twelve months while engaged on loan expenditure work. As a matter of policy it was decided that new drains should not be wider at the bottom than two feet.