Land Drainage

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 135, 11 June 1935, Page 4

Land Drainage

MEETING OF MANAWATU BOARD The Manawatu Land Drainage Board met yesterday when there were present Trustees P. G. Mildon (chairman), W. E. Thomas, A. W. Hamlin, F. J. Russell, E. Tanner and D. Prouse. Trustee J. Collis who is indisposed, forwarded an apology.

The clerk reported the Bank overdraft, at £463 6s sd. Unpaid rates amounted to £276 Is 2d. The clerk added that £672 Is lid had been paid off 1934-35 rates on account of the 10 per cent penalty going on. and in consequence the overdraft had been reduced by £366.

The overseer reported as foddows on tlie various works carried out during the past month: — Hamilton's Bend: Good progress is still being made with this scheme and during the corning week work in section P will be carried out. Main Drain: Ho work has been carried out to this drain since the flood. Previous to this, good progress had been made and would have taken about a Fortnight to complete. Burke’s Drain: Improvements to this drain have also been held up. Stopbanks: Three fairly large breaks occurred in these banks but are being attended to at the present time. Carmody’s Drain: The meaning oi this drain has been completed. Cleaning (A’.B.A. men): Vcry satisfactory progress has been made with this work. Drains cleaned are Jones’, Satherley’s, Cameron’s lino, "Wilson's, Chpetham’s and .Bennett’s Rangitikci line. Bunny thorpe-Ivairauga road is being attended to at the present time. Contract; Cleaning: All this work has been completed with the exception oi a few chains of Burke’s drain and Taonui stream. The Bank of New Zealand advised approval of an overdraft Inn; i oi £2127. Mr A. Griffiths wrote asking (he Board to reconsider the classification of the Board’s area. Since the heavy rain of a fortnight, ago, he felt it was the duty of the Board to do something for the settlers at the upper end of the district. The chairman said that previously (he Board had received similar requests but had decided nothing could be done. The Board agreed and the letter was received. Ratepayers of Kauwhata wrote requesting that the drain on lower Aorangi road should be cleaned.

Trustee Hamlin said the drain was dug under the same conditions as other drains under No. 5 scheme, the Board doing the work provided the settlors maintained it. It was decided to visit, the locality before coming to a decision regarding the request. The Department of Labour advised that, (ho Unemployment Board had approved of a scheme of supplementary relief whereby members of the E.S.A. may be employed through the Association by the Board. The action of the Drainage Board in supporting the scheme was commendable. The chairman drew attention to the numerous slips in tire Board’s drains as a result of the recent wet weather, and the Board instructed the overseer to attend lo them.

The chairman reported that,the railway bridge at Awapuni held up the discharge of the Mangaone and he thought the Department should be asked to do something. Other trustees were in agreement with the chairman, Trustee Tanner stating that the level of the Mangaone could be dropped two feet in flood time it" the boulders were removed. It would make a big difference to the count’y higher up. It was decided to approach the City Council for support in a combined request. to the Railway Department for improvements.