WESTERN TAIERI DRAINAGE BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16339, 23 March 1915, Page 9

WESTERN TAIERI DRAINAGE BOARD.

monthly meeting of the Western Taien Drainage Board, held yesterday was attended by Messrs W. Thomson, R. Doull James Miller, and C. Campbell. Mr Jas Miller presided in the absence of Mr J T. Gibson. - \ . , ENSINEBR-β HEPOBT. . The Engineer (Mr J. Strang) reported as follows:—The following -work has been carried out since last meeting: Tie raising of the Lake Tafcawai embankment from, the contour outlet round to the Henley-Ber-wick road has now been finished. There are still a few repairs to be made on the bank near the . Lee Creek outlet. The ioreacn in the Waipori Creek on Mr Wilson's ground above Berwick , has been filled in. The outlet from Lake Ascog has been cleared out The drain along Shennan's road, near Berwick, is now being cleared out, and Duck Creek has been cleaned out up to theMomona dam... About 20 chains of the contour channel nest the Lee Creek has yet to be opened up.- The lower 80 onains, that is up past the Outram road, is practioally 'finished except for the turning in. of the creeks' and some trimming to be done on the banks. The erection of- the Woodside road bridge is now in progress The diversion of' Thomson's Creek is finished ready for turning in the water. The contour and river embankments and outlet boxes have been inspected and left in good order.—The report was adopted as read. SPECIAL HEPOBT. The Engineer, in a special report, stated that to connect Lee Creek on to the pumping station after the whole of .the upper waters of the Lee had been turned into, the contour channel, some additions-would" require to .be made to the intakes and eluice gates at the pumping station, and a dram connection between the Lee Creek and the sluice gates would require to be' tormed. The report continued: "There is an old dram running down the inside of the lake embankment from the Lee Creek outlet the pumping station. Thie dram joins the pumping station at the most suitable pomt so as to be under the direct control of the pump attendant,, and I suggest that this drain be cleaned but and the drainage from what will then be the old Lee Creek bed run through it to the pumping station As the Leek Creek embankments etand at present they divide the districts into two, so that a flood on the Henley side is_ prevented from getting to' the Maungatui side, and likewise' a flood on the Maungatua side is prevented from getting to the Henley side. T propose to adhere to these existing conditions in connecting the Lee with the pumping station by running the drainage water of the old Lep Creek through a double box in the embankment. This : box will be fitted with slide hds. These lids will always be open UDder normal conditions and the drainage water will be free to run to the shiice gates to the pump. Under either of the above flood conditions, however, the lids will be closed, to be opened only and to such an extent as required by the pump attendant. At the pumping station an ex-' tension of the present suction chamber and additional sluice gates for the Lee Creek dram will be required. In this arrangement each. of the four drains—Berkley Mam, Lake, Ascog, and Lee Creek—are all under separate control, ; and can be pumped out individually if required. They are also connected on to the wheel; and if required, the Lee Creek drain can 'be turned on. to the wheel while the other drains are being pumped out at alow level by the electrio plant The cleaning out of the old drain -will probably be better done by our own men, but I, suggest that tenders, be now called for the concrete and other work . required in the extension of the suction chamber and erection of the sluico gates." Mr Doull strongly opposed the whole scheme of connecting Lee Creek with the pumping station on the ground that the pump -would not be able to cope with the work required of it. It -was decided to call for tenders for the concrete and other work"required, tenders' to be received at next meeting of the board. GEXEBAL. The Engineer read a letter from the foreman regarding the flooding of the river at Berwick through the opening' of sluices at the_ City Corporation weir, in 'connection with the Waipori electric works. Everyone in Berwick was satisfied that the river level vraa raised thereby from 3ft to 4ft for -about an hour, and then it dropped suddenly. One resident lost a valuable draught horse about two months ago. The animal got bogged in a ditch, and while • helj> was coming the river rose suddenly ; and it was drowned. There had been no rain for about a. week previous to this occurrence. The flat at. Berwick bridge in Campbell's property had bren flooded at various times lately through opening the sluices. If the' river was in flond. and the sluices opened, there was no doubt that the water would break the banks in about a dozen places.—lt was resolved to bring the matter before the city electrical engineer. The Engineer renorted that about 56 miles of drains had b»en clowned on the plain dirrinp the past 12 months'. The Engineer reported that Government surveyors were ah present making a survey o£ the Waipori Itivr. Accounts amounting to £1129 Is 9d wore passed for payment.