DRAINING THE TAIERI PLAIN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10601, 22 February 1896, Page 6

DRAINING THE TAIERI PLAIN.

TRIAL OF A NEW PULSION WHEEL,

A trial of the newly-erected pulsion wheel which has been built at the mouth of Anderson's drain on Shand's estate, near Otakia, for the purpose of draining a portion of the Taieri plain was held yesterday, between 20 and 30 persons being present upon the occasion, Among ths number were—Messrs J. Wilson, H. W. Reid, A. Flemiug, A. C. Thompson, G. Anderson, J. Stevenson, J. Laweon, J. Grant, J. Graham (chairman of the Taieri County Council), A. Chisholm, C Brent, J. Whyte, W. Grant, A. Mitchell, and several ladies.

The erection consists of a large wheel—very much like the paddle-wheel of a steamer. It j is 18ft in diameter and Bft in width, having 24 j floats, each 15iu in width by 7ft in length, i When going at full speed tho wheel makes 12 j revolutions per minute, and will lift at least 80 •■ tons per minute. The wheel works in a well 3ft j 6in below the tide level, and is drivou by one of j Robey's horizontal engines of 12 h.p. nominal, j which will work up to 30 h.p. Mr John Laweon, | of Berwick, erected tha wheel, which is of the kind patented by him under the name of Lawson's pulsion wheel, and the cost of the whole erection—wheel, engine, and engine house—was about £400, The money was raised by subscription among the landowners in block IV and part of block V, Maungatua survey district, who were induced to go iuto tho undertaking in consequence of the success atteading tho erection of a similar wheel on.the Henley j estate by the Heoley Company. That wheel i proved to ba ot great beneSt in draining a large area of land, handreds of acres of which were practically worthless before ifc was erected. For inetauce, where there once used to be a dreary waste of water a number of families engaged in dairy farming are now located, and doing well. The new wheel will drain an area of between 4000 and 5000 acres to such an extent that the water will bs carried away from the surface of the land at least 3ft lower than in times past, thereby converting land that was formerly worthless iuto good farming land. At tha present time there is a large area in the centre of the plain lying in quite an unimproved state; but when it is properly drainsd, as it is anticipated it will be by the new wheel, the land will be cultivated and become good paying property. Before, however, the full benefit of the erection of the new wheel will be felt it will be necessary to make other waterways leading to the drain on which the pump is erected, and also to widen Bnd perbap-i deepen that one as well. In order that this might be done a movement has been set on foot to convert the district affected into a drainage district, with rating powers. Not long since a petition signed by a large majority of the ratepayers of the Henley River district was sent to the Government asking that this should be done. It was subsequently suggested by the Colonial Secretary that the River Board should take over the erection and maintenance of the pumping machinery. The River Board and Pumping Committee, representing the ratepayers, accordingly met, and the committee asked the board to take over the management of the sffair. The, board agreed to do so, provided the Governor^ delegated (he powers referred to in the Drainage Act of 1893 to them, and notified the Colonial Secretary to that effect. That gentleman, however, repfied that it was found that there was no provision in tbe act allowing the required powers being i delegated to the River Board. The secretary of the Pumping Company then wrote to tbe Colonial Secretary requesting that the Governor should declare tbe district a drainage district in terms of tho original petition. Since then the Government have forwarded v map to the committee with the object of having the boundaries of the proposed drainage distriot marked thereon. That is the position of matters at the present time ;' so that in all probability the district will be declared a drainage district shortly. When that is done it may reasonably be expected that the drainage of the district will be effected in a thoroughly satisfactory manner, especially cs the problem of getting rid of the water has been solved by the erection of pulsion wheels, such as that ou the Anderson's drain. The trial of tbe new wheel yesterday was successful in every respect, a very large quantity of water being lifted by the wheel iv a few minutes. At the conclusion of the trial, Mr Graham expressed the satisfaction he had experienced in being present to witness the snoceAsful starting of fcbe new pump. He thought he might.safely say that the problem of draining the Henley -district had now been solved. When tbey compared the beautiful pastures of the present Henley with the morass of 30 years ago, he thought it was very gocd evidence of what enterprise and energy and pluck could do. Where they h.«.d a morass 30 years ago they had now one of the fineft.dairyiog districts in the whole of tbe colouy. He wished the pumping scheme every success, and concluded by proposing the health of the promoters. The toast wa» drunk with musical honours. • Mr. Stkvenson, iv responding to the toast, said he hoped that what had been done by the promoters^ the pumping scheme would be for the benefit of the district. Ha thought that what they had witnessed that day showed that there was a great future for the Taieri Plain — a greater future, indeed, than they had ever dreamt of before. Ha proposed the health of those who had contributed towards the cost of tha wheel. Tbe toast having beeu responded to, Mr Fleming said that as the oldest settler in tie district he had never seen a satisfactory way of draining the plain until he saw the puUion wheel. Mr Stevenson proposed a vote of thanks to the contractor, who had made a thorough success of tbe job. He also wished him every success iv any future undertaking of the same kind. Mr Lawson, in reaponding, said the pump was very little good of itself, unless the settlers put their hands in their pockets and made plenty of waterways to it. ■ He proposed a hearty vote of tbauks to the ladies for ministering tothe material wants of the gathering tbat day. Mr Stevenson moved a vote of thanks to Mr Graham (chairman of the County Council) and Cr Chisholm for attending the trial and taking an interest in the undertaking, the motion being carried by acclamation. Cr Chl!>iioi,m, in responding, said he quite agreed with Mr Lawson that the full benefit of the wheel would not be felb until waterways were constructed to bciuji water to the well in which the wheel worked. He heartily congratulated tbe settlers upon the success that had so far attended their efforts to get rid of tbe storm and flood waters. He concluded by apologising for the absencs of Cr Snow, who was unable to be present.

The proceedings then terminated.