TAIERI RIVER TRUST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18543, 2 May 1922, Page 9

TAIERI RIVER TRUST

The monthly meeting held yesterday wa» presided over by Mr R. T. Sadd. There was a full attendance of commissioners. W. T. Wright requested to be informed when it was proposed to give relief . , v cleaning out block in lagoon below bis property.—To be attended to. A. F. Doull requested that a dam removed some months ago from Poplar Dram about 15 chains below Henley School be reinstated, or that the pumping level be reduced one foot to give him drainage.—Engineer and member to report. N. Reid, West Taieri, wrote objecting to a certain area of his farm being included in the rateable area of the Trust. His reason for objecting was that the channel which intersected the farm had an injurious efect qn the area referred to, owing to the backing up. of the water in the channel.—Mr Reid retired while the matter was dismissed. Mr Bluckie moved that the letter be received. Mr Campbell seconded —Mr M'Leod moved and Mr Ford seconded ttiat all land above the channel be made non-rateable and that no drains above the channel be cleaned. Only the mover and seconder voted for the amendment, and the motion was carried. The classifiers appointed at last meeting to classify the district for the purposes of an embankment rate handed in their report, showing the classification. The necessity of appointing an assessor for hearing appeals (if any) against the classifications was pointed out. The Minister of Public Works would appoint a second assessor. ll was resolved “that the classification be adopted and signed by the chairman that the list be deposited at the office of the Trust for inspection by all persons interested, and public, notice he given as required by the River Boards Act, 1908.’’ Mr James Begg to be asked to act as the Trust’s assessor. . i The estimated expenditure for the year 1922-1923 was tabled as follows:—Administrative Account, £500; Embankment Account, £480; Drainage Account, £1745.—1t was derided to increase the latter to £2045, and then adopt the estimates; rates to provide same to be considered at next meeting The classifiers reported on the request that portion of the district in West Taieri be reclassified for the purposes of the drainage rate, stating that they had no recommendation to make.—Tiie object of the reclassification was to see if it was possible to have the properties of Messrs Wright and Cameron excluded from the rateable area.—On a vote being taken after a discussion, it was decided to let the classification stand as at present, the-voting being Messrs Blackie, Reid, Ford, and M'Leod in favour of the change and Messrs Sadd, Matheson, Marshall, and Campbell. The motion was carried or. the casting vote of the chairman.

The clerk mentioned that a case concerning gorse growing in and neat' the contour channel at West Taieri would come up at the Outram Court at the end of tnis month. This matter was under the board s notice at last meeting. The noxious ivn* 1 H-spector was proceeding against Mr '\ylhc wh° was occup.ying the land in question. The casq is regarded as the nature ot a, test as to who is responsible for the cutting of the gorse. Through the erection ot the contour channel some change was rnade in what is regarded as the boundary between the properties, and up to what point the owner or occupier is liable. It is understood that the owner maintains that the - drainage was the cause of the gorse growing, oh account of its operations at *"6 tune the contour channel was made The clerk reported that he had consulted the trusts solicitors as to the position of me trust m regard to borrowing money by way of overdraft during the current financial year. The solicitors had replied 71 revenue for the year ended March dl last had been £2772 I2s ICd. and that is the amount that can be legnllv borrowed "y wa X, cverdraft during th 0 current year. The trust must provide for its ordinary obligations and engagements in any year out of its revenue for that year and must not, at the end of any year, have an overdraft greater than such part of the «n V f=t n « Ue »?- 0f the ye *f t . h . en ended as remains outstanding and uilpaid. Section 7 of the linanoe Act provides that “Where by reason of flood, earthquake, fire or other accident it becomes necesary to provide moneys to an exceptional amount beyond Srrenrt , re for «>e S*™ then current ,the local authority may, with the consent of the Minister of Internal Affairs borrow money bv wav of overdraft, or other! uise, to provide for such emergency; and such overdraft shall become part of the antecedent lability and be extinguished as mentioned later.” To extinguish antecedent liability the trust was empowered by the above Act to raise a social W without taking a poll 0 f the ' ratepayer" extinguish the same by seven annual payments out of its revenue and for •uch purpose was empowered to make and a SpeCl ?' rate fo r seven year 0 or make and levy a special rate annually such rate, or rates, to be In Th,“dfSl“ °'" *" ““ '■"< l

rhe clerk mentioned that the Govern ment Auditor would be with him in a U and '*■ . was decided to leave SrerT wfth T r A nt jl the c,erk had con-