IRRIGATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10105, 2 August 1893, Page 3

IRRIGATION.

WAIMAE AEIET-ASHLET WATERSUPPLY BOAED,

The monthly meeting of this Board wan adjourned yesterday morning from tea o’clock to 2 p.ta„ to permit of the attendance of the Chaiaman, who had not returned from Wellington. Messrs Wilder, Pashby and Dixon were present in the morning, and, on the minutes of the last meeting being read, Mr Dixon objected to tberr being passed. The other members, however, carried the motion. Mr Dixon asked to be supplied with one of tho copies of minutes of proceedings and reports of the Board which had been printed, his wish being that it should be rent to Mr G. P. Williams from the Board. The members objected to this, and said that Mr Dixon could, have a copy to send himsalf. Mr Dixon wished to know who gave authority for Mr G. P. Williams* report being printed with the proceedings of the Board whoa the letter refnsvd to receive the report. Mr Williams objected to his report being made use of iu that manner after the way it was created by the Board. At 2 p.m. there were present Mr J. Dobson (Chairman), Messrs T. Paahby, S. Wilder and M. Dixon. There was a)so an attendance of about forty ratepayers from different parts of the district.

Correspondence was read from the Chief Surveyor, acknowledging receipt of plans of land tj be tiken under tho Public Works Act for the main race.

Hr Dixon proceeded to allege that the Board had no power, under the vofet already taken, to borrow money to pay for the laud proposed to bo .acquired under tho Act. The Chairman ruled Mr Dixon’s remarks cut of order, but told him ho could refer to the matter later on if he wished.

Mr Buddo, addressing the Board, paid that there was now a feeling amongst the ratepayers for cheaper water than that proposed to be supplied under tho Board’s scheme. Ho could not see why a supply could not be obtained at as cheap a rate to the ratepayers ns in the Seiwya County. He did not coma with any grievance against ‘he B».rd. Ho thought the ratepayers were to blame-in agreeing to saddle themselves with a scheme which was to cosh them 4d per acre.

Tito Chairman remarked that Mr Buddo was not taking into account the quantity of water to be supplied.

Mr Buddo thought that attempts at irrigation would end in disappointment. A number cf petitions were put in, signed in the aggregate by 232 ratepayers in all parts of the district, asking tho Board to call public meetings to further cinsider the question of water-supply before any further important business is transacted.

Tha Chairman said ha considered the ratepayers were treating the Board very unfairly. It was not right to compare tha Wairuakarirl-Ashley water-supply scheme with the Selrcyn. By the former scheme it was intended to supply three and a half times more water than was given by the Selywn races. Then, again, it bad to ba remembered that the cost of constructing the cs<d.vyc races was assisted by the Provincial Government to t,ha amount of about —(Mr Dixon: ,£lo,ooo)—and the annual cost to the ratepayers did not take the interest oa this money into account. If the interest on this amount hud to be paid, the annual cost pet acre would bs quite equal to that proposed to be charged in the WaimahaririAebley districts. Government contributed J 24500 to the Oxford races. If it bad not done so, instead of the ratepayers paying three halfpence or twopence per acre, ai at present, they would have to iay at least fourpence. He might say that tho Beard was doing the best it could for the ratepayers. The members had no axe to grind. Personally he bad given a large amount of time and had gone to considerable expanse over the matter, and he would net feel inclined to go through the whole trouble again. Mr Euddenblau asked what objection the Board had to adopting the Gorge bridge scheme.

The Chairman replied that the terraces below the bridge would her more difficult to maintain than those on the upper side, and in consequence the diSorenca in the annual cost of the supply from the Rack Ford scheme would bo only Jd par acre. Ha might say that modifications had been made in the piano for the race, whereby there was a saving of from .£1:200 to £I3OO in the cost of construction,- and an annual savmg of interest on £2OOO m connection with maintenance.

The question of adjustable rates was raised, and the Chairman assured the meeting that no ratepayer would be called upon to pay more than 4d per acre. Mr Id. Dixon declared that although the Board might be legally constituted* it had not done anything legal. The expenditure incurred to the present, amounting to £9lO, was illegal. The Chairman asked the ratepayers present whether they wished to hear Mr Dixon dispute the actions of the Board from a legal point; or whether they were prepared to allow the Board to take the consequences of its actions. The Board’s accounts had been audited and passed, and the legal opinions obtained supported the Board's actions and position. He would .ask the meeting to say whether it would hoar Mr Dixon.

The ratepayers voted decidedly in the negative. Mr Conway said they were satisfied when they knew that one ratepayer was not to pay 2d an acre and another half-a-crown.

The Chairman said that the petitions would be considered by the Board, and its decision would be made known.

The ratepayers then left the room in a body, and the Board went into Committee to consider the petitions. On resuming, Mr T. Paahby moved—- “ That tenders for two contracts be accepted.” This was seconded by Mr E. Wilder. Mr Dixon protested against any progress being made, contending that such would be illegal pending the decision of an objection he had lodged to be adjudicated upon by the Resident Magistrate’s Court. The motion was put and curried. On the motion of Mr Pashby, seconded by Mr Wilder, it was resolved that the Chairman and Engineer should attend at various centres to explain to the ratepayers the action of the Board. Tenders were then opened, Mr Dixon vigorously protesting against the business being proceeded with. The tender of Mr T. Henry, at £165 14s 2d for No. 1 contract, and that of Mr J. Dumphey, at £7 for No. 2 contract, were accepted, Mr Dixon objecting on the ground of illegality of procedure on the part of the Board. Mr Wilder moved—" That the Board appoint Friday, August 11, at 2 p.m. the time, and the Kangiora Borough Council Chambers the place where the Board will sit to hear and determine objections to plana ot land required to bo taken under the Public Works Act, for head-works.”

Mr Fashby seconded tha motion, and it was carried, Mr Dixon objecting. The Engineer reported that the plane of land to be taken under the Public Works Act had been returned from the District Survey Office, approved by the Chief Surveyor, The time required by the Act for depositing piano bad expired, and the work could now be proceeded with.

Special conditions for contracts were read and approved, and weie ordered to ha printed. The Chairman was authorised to wait on the manager of the Bank o£ New Zealand to obtain a further overdraft of .£3OO,

Accounts amounting to ,£Bl 12a 2d were passed for payment, and the meeting terminated.