DRAINAGE MATTERS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 102, 31 March 1925, Page 6

DRAINAGE MATTERS.

MANAWATU BOARD MEETING. The usual monthly meeting of the Manawatu Drainage Board was held yesterday, Trustee E. Wood presiding. Others present were: Trustees 11. J. I urrell, L. \V. Collins, N. P. Nielsen, J. and D. Colhs. und P. J. Small. OVERSEER’S REPORT. The overseer \Mr W. J. Oilman) reported us follows: —The contractors have completed about 2£ miles of the main drain. It will take them about a fortnight longer to finish as they have very heavy going now. f lhe contractor is making good progress in Burke’s drain at the bottom portion and there has also been completed about 70 chains of boundary drain. Tho contractor has nearly finished the top portion of Burke’s drain. No. 1 line drain had been let at 4s lid per chain but the tenderer has given it .in and a tender at 8s per chain has been accepted, ho tenders tor tlte Bunnythorpe-Kairanga road drain, or No. 1 Aorangi drain had been received. There have been two men working on the main drain and they are making good progress. We have completed about 40 chains on Gillespie’s line and 60 chains of Johnston’s drain and have deepened 12 chains of it. I also had to blow out some stumps in Johnston’s drain that were holding the water back. A team liaa been at work scooping the spoil back at Alve s bridge (main drain), tho work costing £5. 1 went down to Mr Moore’s place arid found he lias not done anything to the stop-bank at the top of the flood door. Mr Alve has filled in tho two private drains on Burke’s drain and Mr Buchanan is opening up a drain into the Boundary drain. 1 am sending two men into No. 1 Aorangi drain as we received no tenders for it. Adopted. GENERAL. In discussing the action of two settlers in breaking a stop-bank to allow water on their property to escape, Trustee Small said that it was not a fair thing for anyone to cut the bank and not repair it immediately. ■ If a flood occurred when the bank was in its present condition considerable damage to other settlers’ property rfiight result. Ho suggested that tho overseer be sent to inspect the bank and, if it were still unrepaired, the board should have the work done and charge the settlors with the cost. He pointed out that the hank would never be as strong as it was before it was cut, and he thought that in future anyone damaging the board’e property should be prosecuted. At this juncture a message was received from the settlers advising that repair work was being commenced on Wednesday, and it was resolved that the overseer inspect the locality and, in the event of the work not being started, tho board take further action, the steps io fie taken to be decided at a special meeting to be held on April 20 if necessary. As it was alleged that a settler was opening up a drain from his cowsheds, it was decided to warn hirn that on no account must lie permit offensive matter to escape into tho board's drain. Owing to the shortage of workmen, it was resolved to let the work of cleaning half of the Foxton line drain at 4s 6d per chain. Accounts amounting to £433 6s were passed for payment.