LAND DRAINAGE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 265, 8 October 1940, Page 10

LAND DRAINAGE.

MANAWATU BOARD. The Manawatu. Drainage Board met yesterday, those present being Trustee's P. G. MiJdon (chairman), C. H. Prouse, F. J. Russell, J. Collie, H. R. Green, R. Tanner and W. E. Thomas. The Palmerston North city engineer (Mr J. R. Hughes) forwarded a .plan of the bridge which the City Council proposed to construct over the Mangaone Stream in Botanical Road. The board’s approval as to the capacity of the water-way was necessary, and it was asked that the proposal be investigated and that the board advise its decision at an early date. The clerk (Mr N. I. Nielsen) said that he had ascertained that the bridge provided for double traffic with two walk-ways. The level would be 2ft 6in above the existing road and the deck would be level with the present protecting banks. Twenty-five per cent, more waterway would be provided and the bridge was designed ior 40 years ahead.

It was decided to write approving the plans. The chairman reported that no further information had been received about the reconstruction of Devine’s bridge. In reply to the board’s inquiry about the extension of its subsidised labour scheme, the Social Security Department advised that approval had been given to the extension of the authority, and it was unable to advise when it would be terminatfed. The clerk said that this meant that the board would just go on as it was, with no fixed limit of time and no fixed number of men. The overseer (Mr 51. Wilson) said that after this week the board would have 14 scheme No. 13 men in its employ. The overseer in his monthly report said that improvement work on the No. 1 Aorangi drain had been completed. Improvements were still being carried out to the tractor plant (joint outlet) drain and reasonable progress was being made considering the amount of spoil to be removed. The Kairanga-Bunnythorpe Road, Hamlin’s iand Ivawau Creek drains had been cleaned. At present improvements to Bennett’s No. 2 drain were being carried out. The financial statement showed that of the total rate struck for the year (£5690 10s 7d) £395 6s Id had been paid to date, compared w'ith £291 10s 5d at the October meeting last year. It was decided that the overseer be instructed to see that any willows cut from the board’s drains are destroyed.