Moutoa Drainage Board

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6841, 23 April 1932, Page 3

Moutoa Drainage Board

ANNUAL MEETING

Prom Our Own Corrcspomlcnr,. The annual meeting of tho Moutoa Drainage Board was held at Foxton on Thursday night, when there were present Messrs. J. Chrystall (chairman), B. G. Gower, D. Purcell, W. E. Barber and W. S. Carter. The treasurer (Mr. G. V. Prascr) submitted a statement which showed the bank balances to bo as follows: No. 1 account, dr. £llO 3/8; No. 2 account, cr. £l3 17/5; Post Office Savings Bank account, cr. £9O 12/11. The balances of tho main ledger accounts were: General account, dr. £124 14/9; interest account, dr. £1 S/ll; contractors’ deposits account, cr. £10; floodgate loan account, cr. £l3 17/5: workers’ dwelling/ sinking fund. cr. £9O 12/11. The report added that during the past year tho whole of the rate arrears for 1930-31 wero collected, while at tho close of tho year the sum of £S9 11/1 remained unpaid on rates levied for 1931-32 (£76 0/S general rates, £l3 11/3 special rates). Although tho year had ended with a small credit balance in the general account, much of tho drain-cleaning work usually paid for before March 31 would have to be taken into consideration in connection with tho estimates for tho current year. As a result of the re-valuation of a certain area in the district the rateable value of the board’s district had been still further reduced, and this, together with expenses incurred in connection with the erection of new floodgates in the main drain, would have the effect of increasing the general rate to the .figure obtaining two years ago. During the year the sum of £1322 18/ had been expended on relief-work under the No. 5 scheme, and the payment of this amount to a large number of men over tho period had greatly increased the amount of the board’s office work. Fifteen meetings had been held during the year. The report was adopted and accounts amounting to £906 17/4 wore passed for payment. The foreman (Mr. T. A. Robinson) reported on work carried out during the past, month. Tho deepening of Leen’s drain with labour under tho No. 5 scheme was proceeding, 15 chains having been completed by nine men in 14 days. Ho stated that this work could be" better carried out with more men, but this had not been possible as a result of the board’s quota of the- unemployed having been cut down during the past two months from 90 men to 73. As tho wet season was fast approaching, the board’s undertakings were being seriously affected by the reduced quota, as there was still much to be done, including a good deal of excavation work at. the mouth of tho main drain. The contractors engaged in cleaning the various drains were carrying out their work satisfactorily. Two chains ot stop bank had been erected around a breach in the board's stop bank on Mr. Pulriowski’s property, whero several minor breaches were also repaired. An inspection of the diagonal flood-gates had revealed a dead bullock and a large quantity of driftwood washed up against the doors, which were badly silted up. The obstructions were removed and the doors were now found to be holding the water very well. The report was adopted. The engineer (Mr. H. V. Bond), who was in attendance, reported that the work of converting tho horizontal gates to the vertical typo had been pushed ahead with all expedition, and the whole of this portion of the w-ork was now completed. A start had been made with the extension work on the northern side. In the conversion work five new gates had been hung. One of these was now closed by the cut-off dam, leaving four new and two old vertical gates to operate for the discharge of water until the extension work was completed. On excavating for the cut-off walls below the apron it had been fouud necessary to go down five feet to secure a sufficiently sound foundation. Reinforced concrete walls had been put in, which should remove any possibility of leakage under the apron. When the coffer-dam enclosure had been pumped out there was ample evidence to show that tho old gates had not been constructed on lines recognised to be the best practice, and as a consequence several matters had to be rectified, which took extra time and material. Apart from one serious misnap, when the coffer-dam broke under _ severe pressure fro ma very high spring tide, the conversion work had proceeded satisfactorily', and a test against a high spring tide that day had revealed that only very small leaks were in evidence, which would be rectified by small adjustments. Given fine weather, the whole of the work should be completed in another three weeks. Tho report was adopted and members expressed appreciation of the manner in which the engineer had carried the work through. Tho balance-sheet for the year ended March 31 last was read and adopted, subject to Government audit, while estimates of receipts and expenditure, for the current year were also submitted by the treasurer. After careful consideration these were unanimously' adopted, and. a resolution was passed to tho effect that notification be given of intention to levy a general rate of 2d. in the £1 on class A, lid. on class B and Id. on class C upon the unimproved rateable value, and also to collect a special rate of §d. in the £1 on properties in the special rating area.