TAIERI RIVER TRUST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22612, 2 July 1935, Page 13

TAIERI RIVER TRUST

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Taieri River Trust was held yesterday at Mosgiel, and was attended by Messrs C. Findlay (in the chair), H. W. Wilson, J. M.' Smith, A. Moore, J. Young, G. Lyall, and J. Dow. WORKS REPORT. The Works Committee submitted the following report:— The Works Committee met the Berwick settlers at Berwick and went into the question of the most suitable drainage for this area, and recommended that the existing drain from the contour channel to Spencer’s R.D. should be widened to give 3ft in the bottom, and from Spencer’s road ,to Cameron’s the drain should be taken along the roadside and a 2ft culvert put through the road .at the corner. This drain would require three 12ft culverts, 2ft deep, for crossings, 2in Spencer’s and lin Cameron’sCrossan’s. The committee went into the question where the area proposed to be drained should stop, and decided that the line should stretch from the top of Cameron’s boundary to. the contour. It is understood that this is a block line, and ia shown on the map. This area takes in about 120 acres of the Berwick Flat, including all the, low ground of Shennan’s. The committee was unanimous on this proposal, and submitted it to the settlers, who are agreeable to this proposal, and no further opposition will be raised. The committee inet Mr Lyders, of Henley, who asked : that the drain between Smith’s and Wilson’s should be opened to give him drainage, as the existing drain did not have sufficient fall to drain hia low ground, and the proposed drain is direct to the pump and has plenty of fall. As this is an urgent work the committee decided to do this work by contract. TJie committee met'Mr Overton, who showed members the property which he claims has no drainage. This is P.W.D. nropertv between the railway and the bank adjoining the Titri railway bridge. The only drainage that this land ever had is a viaduct under the railway at Bull Creek, which has been filled in by the Railways Department. This land at the present time is three parts a lake, and as no scheme except a costly one could be devised to drain the apea, the committee reckoned that this area should be exempt from past and present rates. The committee also draws the attention, of the trust to the state of the bank at tne bottom end of the outer area, inis bank is below high-water mark, and the bank is washed away in one place, and we recommend that the laud below Wain s drain should not be included in the drainage rate, and the R.D. at Borrow pit at Smith’s house should be blocked to stop any water coming into the box at the mouth of the channel. . ' The attention of the trust is directed to a gorse hedge about half a chain wide and 10ft high running from the old bank to within two chains of the new bank. It is considered this this hedge will force the water on to the new bank at the box and cause a sepur in the bank in the event of a flood in the outer area. This hedge i« on the P.W.D. property, and we recommend that the trust should approach the P.W.D. with a view to having a portion of this hedge cut down. The committee met a deputation, ot settlers from the outer area, who outlined a scheme for the most suitable drainage for them, and it is recommended that “A” drain’should he cleaned to the lactory and a drain should be cleaned from the Borrow pit to the corner of Smith s and Sinclair’s boundary. It isi also recommended that Duck Creek should be, opened into the Borrow, pit tO Mr JWishart drainage through Mr W.Hor.ne s property, and an outlet further up to rive Mr R. Bruce access- to, the Borrow pit, . There are about six. boxes on the old bank that' are. obsolete, and as these are leaking it is recommended that they should be filled in. It is the. opinion of the committee that this work will b. required to be done to give the area between the new and old banks reasonable drainage. Mr T. Wishart then met the trust and asked that the bottom. end ot Duck Creek should be connected with “B” drain. There is a drain along the railway line about.lo chains and it is recommended that the Railways Department be asked to give permission to clean it. The committee then inspected the new cut at Movriihan’s road, and met the top gang at Mr D. Colquhoun’s. This man has an artesian well causing considerable damage to the trust’s drain. The, committee approached him about it and he has agreed to take measures to rectify this at once. The Works Committee continued its inspection on June 18, and. inspected th. 6 greater part of Loch Katrine drain. This drain is in a bad state, and is recommended first on the list for the top gang to clean out and a Ift culvert at the head of the drain should be lowered. This culvert crosses the Outram-Allanton road. The committee inspected the Wylie’s Creek diversion and found that this channel was overflowing, after only six or seven hours’ rain. This part of the plain presents a real problem, as it is all the contour can do to carry the present water, and if the Wylie’s Creek diversion is widened to cope with the water from the hills it would add a bigger strain on the contour. , , The Works Committee recommended that the following works should be carried out during the next two months:— Lower gang: Finish “B” drain to railway; finish road to M’Fadzien’s; finish drain from Kirk’s drain to Dnry’s; Thompson’s drain from Kirk's drain to Thompson’s and then to Morrison’s. Otokia drain from New Channel, to Duck Creek and then Wheeler's drain from Kirk’s drain to Thompson’s Lagoon. Top gang; Clean Loch Katrine drain and Momona drain, then back to Duck Creek from Bisset’s to the head of the Duck Creek to Outran! . road, and then to Wylie’s diversion. The report and recommendations were adopted. INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The inspector (Mr W. Munro) reported on the work done during the past month. —The report was received. FINANCE, Accounts amounting to £270 10s were passed for payment. CORRESPONDENCE. The Department of Internal Affairs advised that the trust’s request that when there was an equality of votes between candidates the position should be decided by lot in the presence of a justice of the peace would be considered when an amendment to the Act was under review. —Received^ Mr A. J. Gamble (Momona) wrote regarding Spence’s drain, which subjected his property to flooding.—The matter was left in the hands of the Works Committee to report to next meeting. Mr J.’A. Shaw (Henley) wrote complaining of the, condition of a portion of his land on which he. could grow nothing. He asked that the trust should investigate the matter.—Mr Wilson said that an adjoining property was similarly affected. — The Works Committee was instructed .to inspect the properties and report to next meeting. Mr B. Carruthers asked for permission to' cut willows at Outram.—Permission was refused. RATES STRUCK. The rates for 1935-36 were discussed briefly, and it was decided to strike an administrative rate of 7d per acre and a drainage rate of 2s 6d per acre on all the rateable land in the district. Notice wa s also given that the following motion would come before the trust at its next meeting:—“That, in pursuance of the provisions of ‘ The Taieri River Improvement Amendment Act, 1932-33,’ and of ‘ The River Boards Act, 1908,’ the Taieri River Trust do now make and lew a repayment rate to produce in the aggregate the sum of £5256 2s sd, for the period commencing on April 1, 1935, and ending on March 31, 1936, and that upon the passing thereof this resolution shall operate as a special order.” RECLASSIFICATION CONSIDERED, The trust considered the question of amending “ Couston’s classification ” with with a view to reducing the rates of all those ratepayers assessed under the classification for'the repayment rate at more than 8s 6d per acre, and it was pointed out that this proposal referred principally to lands between Lee Creek and the contour channel. —It was decided that the clerk should prepare a list of all such ratepayers for next meeting. GENERAL. The question of blocking or removing a pipe through the new embankment at Gibson’s property was brought up by Mr Wilson, and after a short discussion it was decided that the Works Committee should inspect the place before any decision was reached.