DRAINAGE BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18876, 31 May 1923, Page 11

DRAINAGE BOARD.

OBSTRUCTED RIVER BEDS, CLEARING THE DEBRIS. A HEAVY UNDERTAKING. PROTESTS BY RESIDENTS. A special meeting of the Drainage Board was held last night, when there were present the Mayor (Mr H. L. Tapley) and Messrs J, E. MaoManus, F. W. Mitchell, E. Sinoock, J. Wilson, J. H. Hancock, W. Begg, J.- S. Douglas, E. Longwortb, and J. Dove. The Mayor (Mr H. L. Tapley) said that the special meeting had been called in order that the residents near Lindsay’s Creek and; the Leith might have the opportunity ofstating their objections as to the council’s instruction that they must clear the bed of the streams running past their respective properties. The calling of the meeting to hear the objections was a necessary legal step, after which the council could instruct the property owners to clear the Leith and Lindsay’s Creek of material impeding the course of the streams. If the property owners refused to do that after due notice had been given then the Drainage Board would carry out the work. Notices had been issued to the persons affected, and, as a result, they were present to state their objections why they should not keep the bed of the river free of debris. Continuing, the Mayor said that the legal opinion was that after the council had served the notices on the people concerned a meeting had to be held at which they could have an opportunity of stating their objections. If they ignored the council’s notice, and did not attend the meeting, then the Drainage Board would carry out the work. Mr Begg: At whose expanse? The Mayor: At the expense of the property owners who would benefit as the result of the board's work. The secretary of the board (Mr Lewin) then called on those present to state their objections, and read the names of those to whom notice of the meeting had been given. Mr J. R. M'Kissack, a resident of Knox street, said that if he had to clear the creek it would put him to considerable expense. He would, however, be prepared to clear the creek as well as h© could. There were two- old 400-gallon tanks in the creek near his property. He did not know who put them there. A number of other residents objected to cleaning out the creek. Mr Charles Gibb said that ho considered that the board was itself to blame for some of the damage. He that through the corporation the bed of Lindsay’s Creek had been raised 3ft. Was ho expected to clean out this material? All sorts of things were thrown into the creek, including old bicycles, kerosene tins, and so on. .vir William Begg (a member of the board) said that he had no objection to cleaning out the bed of Lindsay’s Creek, but he decidedly objected to removing all buildings, etc,, within 10ft of the margin of the creek. Such a provision was going to act verv hardly on the residents of Lindsay’s Creek. If 'the whole of the improvements had to bo removed on the 10ft limit then he was going to fight the clause to the last ditch. He had, however, as ho had said, no objection to cleaning out the bod of the ditch, or, on the other hand, to letting the Drainage Board do the work. —(Laughter.' The Mayor explained that the 10ft limit was prescribed in the Act. _ This concluded the objections so far as Lindsay’s Creek was concerned. Objections as regards the Leith wore then taken. One objector said that he cleared the banks every year of the willows planted by the corporation. Mr J. Ronnie said that he was quite willing to clear away any debris, but he decidedly objected to dear out the boulders, iio criticised the action ■ of the corporation in leaving willows to grow in the bed of the Leith. ~ ~ L , , ~ Another objector said that the boulders opposite his property were so big that it would require a crane to shift them. Mr R. M‘Donald said that all the boulders opposite his land had been brought down from above. . Mr T. Stewart said that if the Leith was cleared out there would be no land left. It would take £6OO to clear the river near his place. Mr E. S. Clarke said that the recent floods were caused by an act of nature over which they had no control, and he did not think they should be called on as individuals to pay the expense. The expense should come out oE the public purse. —(“Hear, hear.”) , Another objector said that be could not his w«i-y to pay £IOOO to clear out the bed of the 'Leith near his property. W. Ames said that he did not think his land bordered on the Leith. A Voice; Lucky man.—(Laughter.! Mr Ames said that if his land did - abut on the Leith ho had no objection to the Drainage Board cleaning it out. —(Laughter.) Ho helped to elect tho board to do this sort of work. —(Laughter.) The Secretary of tho hoard then quoted

"Hie Land Drainage Amendment Act, 1913, section 7, which, in effect, states that the occupier or owner must remove from the banka of the watercourse or drain to a distance not exceeding lOfr, from the nearest margin of the watercourse or drain all obstructions of any kind calculated to impede the free flow of water in such watercourse or drain. The penalty which may be inflicted on every owner or occupier who fails to comply with such order within 14 days of the receipt thereof is liable to a Lne not exceeding one pound for every day during which such order is not obeyed, and a further sum equal to the cost incurred by the local authority in removing any such obstructions. Such owner or occupier may appeal to a magistrals against the local authority’s order A Voice: Do the obstructions include stone? . 'The secretary said that the obstructions enumerated in the Act included earth, stone, timber, and material of all kinds, and trees, plants, weeds, and growth of any kind. Mir Ames asked that if it so happened that an earthquake caused Flagstaff to collapse into the Leith, would the property owners affected have to clear out the stream?—(Laughter.) The Mayor said he would take a note of that.—(Laughter.) Continuing, the Mayor said that the objections would receive careful consideration by the Drainage Board, who would consider what action would he taken in connection with the matter. He thanked them for their attendance. The board was out to do everything possible to prevent a repetition of the recent floods.— (‘.‘Hear, hear.’’) They Aid riot want to inflict a hardship on anyone, hut it must be understood that something must be done, to keep the riverbeds in order. The Mayor explained that the bed'of the river really belonged to the adjacent residents up to half-way across. The board then wont into committee, when the following resolution was adopted : —“That the secretary give formal notice in accordance with the Statute calling on property owners on the Leith and Lindsay’s C'roek to forthwith carry out. the clearing of the bod of those sfre&mj.”