HAURAKI DRAINAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19718, 18 August 1927, Page 11

HAURAKI DRAINAGE.

CLASSIFICATION OF LANDS. OBJECTIONS BY RATEPAYERS. DEFENCE OF BOARD'S SYSTEM. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] THAMES, Wednesday. There was an influx of Northern Hauraki Plains settlers to Thames to-day for the continuation of the hearing by Mr. F. W. Platts, S.M., of over 30 objections to the Hauraki United Drainage Board's classification of land for rating purposes in the A class, following on the amalgamation of the Horahia and Hauraki Drainage Boards early this The proceedings lasted all day, and in accordance with a direction by the magistrate, Mr. E. J. Clendon, for the objectors, agreed to close the case for the first - ten appellants. Evidence supporting the objectors' claim was given by F. W. Walters, chairman of the Waitoa Drainage Board, J. E. Thompson, surveyor and engineer, and W E. Hughes, chairman of the Hungahunga Drainage Board.

In the course of an address occupying nearly two hours Mr. E. L. Walton, on behalf of the united board, contended that the question for the Court to decide hinged wholly on the proper system of classification and the basis on which a classifier should work as interpreted by section 38 of "Tho Land Drainage Act, 1908." He proceeded to show that the board's classification was correctly made, and reviewed the history of the law of drainage since the passing of the Land Drainage Act, in 1893. Mr. Walton said a Government commission last year had stated that the land would have been uninhabitable but for the board's drainage works. He would show -that the objections were really engineered by a small coterie of disgruntled and defeated candidates for office. Twelve months ago the objectors had been prepared to accept the A classification. A. P- Grant? assistant engineer, Public Works Department, gave details of proposed drainage works to be undertaken on the northern part of the Hauraki Plains, to provide efficient drainage E. Taylor, Lands Drainage Department, engineer in charge of the Hauraki Plains drainage, gave evidence to the effect that lands in the Horahia and Hauraki districts received generally the equal drainage benefits He would prefer the united board's system of classification, which was similar to that used by tho assessors of the Land Drainage Department. E. F. Adams, engineer, Thames, expressed the opinion that the whole drainage scheme of the Plains was inefficient on the ground of improper outlet facilities. He favoured the board's classification, as against the objectors' system of classification of land. The hearing was adjourned.