Manawatu Drainage Board

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 236, 6 October 1936, Page 3

Manawatu Drainage Board

MONTHLY MEETING HELD.

Tho monthly meeting of tho Manawatu Drainage Board was hold yesterday, Mr I’. G. Mildon presiding. Also present were Messrs H. 1L Green, R. Tanner, D. Prouse, F. J. Russell, IV. E. Thomas and J. Collis.

The clerk (Mr N. I. Nielsen) reported that, to date, £1503 12s 4d had been expended, as against the cstimato of £2053, leaving a balance of £181) 7s Bd. The overdraft was £1931 2s 5d at the previous meeting and was now £2593 19s sd.

Reporting on an inspection of Mr 0. C. Browning’s property, on Boundary road, the chairman said that a culvert running into the Mangaono stream had becu damaged and a request that a letter be written to the Railways Department asking for the gate to be repaired had been complied with. Mr Collis said that tho present stdto of the floodgate was a danger to the city and would let water through into tho Kawau stream.

The clerk reported that a reply had been received stating that the matter would receive immediate attention.

Asking that the board take over and clean a drain serving his holding at Kairanga, and others, Mr A. 11. Rutledge waited on the board. He said that if the latter would take over the drain it would give au outlet to a large area of land. The chairman said that the decision to be reached would depend on the decisions arrived at in a number of other similar cases. If all these drains were taken over they would aggregate many milcs in length.

Messrs R. L. Levin and P. Baldwin waited on tho board in reference to obstruction of tho Taonui creek by raupo growth. It was pointed out by Mr Baldwin that Mr Levin had no title to the bed of the creek going through his property, and it was suggested that there was an onus on tho board to keep the creek reasonably clear. As the board’s liability or otherwise had not yet been definitely established, Mr Levin offered to do tho work himself if the board would reimburse him.

After discussion, the board decided to make an inspection of the creek. Arising out of a request by a deputation consisting of Messrs S. Parsons, C. Hunt and J. Print, it was decided to remove slips from No. 1 Aorangi drain and, later, to batter the drain.

Representing his father, Mr B. C. Eglinton, Mr C. B. Egliulon waited on the board asking that the drain crossing Rangitikei lino from Richardson’s line to where it crosses Flyger’s lino to meet Whisky creek be widened for the top third of its length.

It was decided that tho board should inspect the drain. The overseer (Mr M. Wilson) reported as follows on the various works carried out during tho past month:— Drains cleaned: Wood’s (Richardson line), Knight’s (Skerman's line), Hausen’s, Kairanga-Bunnytkorpe road, Jamieson’s, Lancaster’s. Slips, otc., have been removed from No. 4 line drain, Karere road drain, Upper Aorangi road drain, Kairanga-Bunny-tliorpe road drain, Whiskey creek, No, il drain. The remaining soven chains of Cohr’s drain have also been attended to. Good progress has been made with the drag-line plant on Burke’s drain, the biggest slips being removed. During last week work was commenced from the junction of Main and Burke’s drain, approximately three chains having been completed. Board’s Pinanciai position. Ia reporting on the general financial position, the clerk said tho labour employed was costing £2l a week and there were yet 25 weeks to go to the end of the financial year. On the present rato of expenditure tho estimate would soon be reached. On the present indications the board had £l5O available for labour.

The chairman said that, personally, ho wished to keep the ten or twelve men now employed working all tho time. Tho cost of Moore’s floodgate had been a big hurdle and run to about £SO0 —very much more than the estimate.

The clerk remarked that the board had to balance its budget or else strike a supplementary rate.

Mr Tanner said ho wondered if tho tractor plant could bo left idle for a period iu order to save money.

The chairman considered that it would be preferable to keep tho plant going. To work within the estimates only four men could be kept on, under those circumstances, said the clerk. Replying to Mr Tanner, the clerk said that, if the budget -were not balanced, the board members would be responsible for the outstanding amount. Tho overdraft at the end of the financial year could not exceed the outstanding revenue.

Tho chairman suggested that the Local Government Loans Board be written to asking if tko Drainage Board could raise a small loan to assist in meeting the cost of tho floodgate. It appeared that some men would have to go off, but he disliked that very much. If at all possible, they should be kept on till Christmas at least. The work they were doing would only accumulate and would have to be 'done later.

In addition, tho men were good workers and would be difficult to replace, said Mr Collis.

It was decided to hold over further discussion until the next meeting.