DRAINAGE OF THE TAIERI PLAIN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13780, 19 December 1906, Page 2

DRAINAGE OF THE TAIERI PLAIN.

CONFERENCE AT OUTRAM. On Monday night, tho Hon. R. M'Nab, Minister of Lands, held a conference with Taieri landowners over the vexed, question of tihe Taieri drainage, on which a Government commission lias recently reported. Mr Donald Reid. M.11.R., the local member, explained at the outset that the' only Dramago Boards represented were tho Wost_Taieni Rivor Board and the Wosfc Taieri Drainage Board. Maungatua,, Berwick, and Otokia were not represented, but in driving round tho plain next, day the Minister would probably hear tho opinions of settlers there. Mr Snow, 011 behalf of the West Taieri River Board, said that they had read carefully the commission's report, and did not agree with it. on some points. In the first, place, they objeoted to be couplcd with the East Taieri or Bruce districts. Thov asked the Government to givo them a report on West Taieri, and not on tho whole Taieri district. They wanted to carry out tho drainage in their own district. However, rather than have nothing done, they would accept the commission's report, They also found fault with tho constitution of the board. The commission rceommended that there should be nine members. Tlie whole of tho Taieri district would bo divided into six wards, cach ward to sclera ono _ member, and tlie Government to appoint, three members, ono of whom should be chairman. They objectedto the Government naming three rnem'bers. The Government paid no rates. Tt. ■was said 1 that thov held land at Momona and East Taieri. Thero were men in tho •room who uwncxt more land than tho Government, and these men could nominate no one. The tend thought that, if the Government, appointed tho resident magistrate as chairman that would givo ample representation. Tho district would then bo thoroughly represented. Thov did not object. to tho boundaries laid down by tho Iloyal Commission as a drainage •iistrict. Thoy also approved of the proviso that' land not benofrlo! by the works should bo called upon-to ptiy a vale. In conclusion, thoy thought it uufaiv that (as ho read iho report) any man';) land' could l>e' entered, ditchcs, drain:!, and embankments made, and 110 esnipcntmtion given. He favoured three senarate districts—Bruce, West Taieri, and East Taieri. He also objected io the River Boards being wiped out. The West Taieri River Board had spent £26,000 during an existence of 50 odd years. Thoy bad not received Government: assislance, but, raised the money by rating themselves and their district, the rates sometimes being as high as 7s 3J per acre. They had built an embankment, and kept it in repair, four members regularly inspecting it. Lei Bruce drain into_ Waipori. and East and West Taieri remain repa.rate. Mr Campbell (West, Taieri Drainage Board): We all read the commission's report carefully, and wo aH think the Government should take everything in hand. Wipe out all the existing local bodies in tho district, put on competent engineers, devise a. system of drainage, and let them put tho water where they say it lias to go. _ It. is no uso three bodies iiphtim; against _ cach oilier, because ovorybodv 011 the Taieri is antagonistic to every other Iwly. We-s Taieri is on higli ground, and (he bodies lower dawn blame litem for putting the water 011 theii ground. Taieri drainage will never be successful until the Government, slops in and wipes 1:.: all out ami devises a proper system oi drainage. Mr Dow, also of West Taieri, said thai there was 110 community of interest between the west and the cast sides of tho river. The problem was to deal with tho water 011 both sides, and hid opinion was that the v.'hnlo filing would fa.ll through if the commission's report were departed I from. Mr Bruce, a landholder, on lieing asked to speak, said that, his idea was West Taieri by itself, and keep clear of Waihola ami East Taieri. Mr Shand. 'another landholder, said that, he was an Kast Taieri man. lie did not agree with Mr Snow's view that Iho district should be divided inlo two. lie understod the report recommended 0110 scheme, but that the finances of districts; should he kept separate. If so, it. was only a mailer ot control. lie was not afraid of any Wait Taieri members being placed in conhol.—(" Hear, hear.") Mr Snow, for instance, would see justice done. They all knew the selfishness of human nature, and if all the members were to lie on one side and Rust Tnievi weve to have r„ distinct board, there would simply Iw squabbling. Tho members at the top of the plain would be stronger, ;.nd would naturally protect, themselves fiom high rating, if there was Io be a difi'ercntial rr.k. Mr Snow would liavo 110 interest in this matter, and would act fairly. Ho thought three Government nominees we're essentia!, as vltey ' a ; ko would be disinterested. " 1 am in favour," he concluded. "of the whole district being in one, and the finances of the East r.nd West Taieri being kept separate."—(" Hear, hoar.") 1,11- Kirkland said that this wclieme should bo taken up by the Government, was proposed. The West and ' East Taieri were altogether antagonistic to one another, and it was only a commission'ap; pointed by tho Government that could see fairness done to the whole district. In the past, the West laieri formed themselves into a River Hoard. Certainly they paid off their taxer. to the extent of £26,000. but they got Government assistance, and the whole district was taxed. And though West Taieri had been benefited, it had been at the cost of East 'faicri. " The only way out of the difficulty." he affirmed. "is for Iho Government to take the matter up and carry it through in the way it sees fit and best for the whole plain.'' A little discussion ensued hero on the pas' differences between East and West Taieri. which Mr Reid suggested had better be left alone. ?.!■■ Blaukie agreed that there should be one body to control East and West Taieri. but tiic- moneys should be collected and rpci'f separately. After ihe scheme's completion it sliotdd be handed io a local body, ruj the Taieri County Council, to ad.'iiinisioi. Miiicr (Meiingattia) approved of the iominission's report and iho boundaiie: fr.-.sd by it. Sir Allan raised an objection—persons!, lie admitiod'-llial if the proposed boundaries were adopted his propeiiy would be included and rated, while from its position ii would ,suffer if the Taieri Rivt.were banked on ono side, a* uould probably be done. 11 is being tho only property included in the district 011 the other side* lie doubted if (ho controlling Ixiard would put up protective works for him. Mr lii'Xab suggested thai "\lr Allan's properly being included in the drainage district'would (jive him a claim to consideration that otherwise he might not have.

Mr Allan contended that the river was tho natural boundary. Litigation was not improbable.

Mr Snow said there would bo a differential rating on properties, according to benefits derived.

Mr M'Nab said the proper interpretation of the board's duties was not to bank one side of tlie river only. If the river wore tho boundary tho board would have to confine it in banks.

Mr said that the more work done by Last. Taieri, tho more work West Taieri would have to do to protect themselves. Mr Charters said that his views were that the .commissioners' report, if carried out, would benefit tho whole plain. If it wore not acled 011 lie could see plainly that nothing would bo done, lie recommended that the Government act 011 the report. Mr M'Nab, in reply, said that lie was there simply to collect information. With what ho had learnt that day and what ho proposed seeing the next day lie hoped to torm ;l complete idea 01 the nature ot tlic rcpori, and to wliafc extent the settlers approved of it. 110 wished to make himself quite familiar with tho subjsct, so a 6 to givo his colleagues in Cabinet material io decide on the ultimate form of the bill to bo submitted to Parliament. This bill would probably bo framed on the lines of f-ho commission's report, or a modification llioreof, „nd would be referred to the Local Bills Committee or some other committee, ihose opposed to it would then have aii opportunity of giving evidence before the committee find stating their objections. ITe could assure them everything would bo deno to, on full knowledge of the conditions, settle this vexed question. Looking s;» it. generally, one would say that tho one district embracing everything would ho the way to deal with it. "Whether that may ho modified by local conditions," lie added, "'has to ba considered, and will bo conwhen I look at the ground to-mor-Wif. I could not be expected Io give anything more definite to-night. I hope to be r'dlo to got everything rea'dy in time for next oecsion, and I hope it won't pass bof'jiu the vGxocl question of the drainage of tuo whole of the Taieri Plain has lieon ■sellled by legislation."—(Applause.) My Snow moved a. vote of I hanks to tho Minister, which was carried heartily. INSPECTION OF THE TAIERI PLAINS. DEPUTATIONS AT MOMONA. Yesterday morning the Minister left Outram, accompanied by Messrs D. Reid. M.H.R.. D. Barron (Commissioner of Crown Lands), C. Samson (chairman of the Taieri County Council), Cr Stevenson, and others, and drove to Berwick. Here a member of tho Berwick Drainage Board, who was interviewed, spoke in favour of the adoption of the commission's report. At Henley a slop was made for lunch. Subsequent, to this important item Mr Samson thanked the Minister for visiting the Taieri. It was an honour the people appreciated. In reply, the Hon. Mr M'Nab said his object in visiting the district, was to gain as much information as possible about the district and its requirements, and so on, so that ho would bo in a position to put tho wholo case in regard to the drainage question before, his colleagues when lie returned to Wellington. Residents of the district were heard on tho question of drainage, among the number being Mr J. Stevenson, of the Maungatna Drainage Board. The party weilt down the river in the afternoon in a steam launch to inspect tho site where it has been proposed to erect floodgates with the view of preventing the inflow of the Taieri River. Journeying by the. centre road to the Olokia road the party went on to Kirk's drain.

At Momona a deputation 6f settlors waited oil the Minister with a number of requests. It asked it the Government would, on behalf of llm settlers, pay £300 expenses incurred by them in Iho recent, inquiry, which was a very lengthy and expensive affair. The Minister said he could not pledge the Government, to pay any mon-ev, but he would pln.ee I'ho matter fairly before the Cabinet. The deputation id™ asked the Government to remove the dain at. Momo.na, with a view to benefiting the surrounding country. The Minister, in reply, said this was lvally a matter that rested with tile residents. lie did not see that, the Government had any power to interfere. However, he would look further into the matter. i.V question was put to the deputation by tlin Minister • -if. to whether it approved of the report of the commission on (lie drainage of (lie Taieri Plain. The settlers, who were very jvi>vp?entutivc. of tlio f.uui'M's for it' coufiilcrnbls distance around, were unanimous that rli'.' recommendations of the commission formed the only possible plan of satisfactorily dealing with the question, and it was urged that the Government should give effect to them without delay. Hefore leaving Momona. the settlers thanked Mr M'Nab for coming among thoni.

The Minister inspected the 6ite of tho dr.in, mid diove la Allnnton, where lie joined tlio south express for Clinton.