DRAINAGE OF THE TAIERI.

Otago Witness, Issue 2560, 8 April 1903, Page 20

DRAINAGE OF THE TAIERI.

CONFERENCE AT HENLEY. The meeting of delegates from the various local bodies in the Taieri drainage district, held at Henley on Saturday, was attended by tho following:— Taieri County— Messrs K. Gibson and J. Millar; He-nley River Board— J. Gibson and J. Carruthers ; West Taieri River Board— W. Snow and A. <Jlusholni; Vfest Taieri Drainage Board— J. Bruce and J. Dow ; Otokia Drainage Board — J. S. Fleming and A. Souness ; Maungai.ua Drainage Board — J. Stevenson and it. Kempshall; Berwick Drainage Board— R. Robinson and D. Scott. Messrs J. Allen and D. Reid, jun., M.H.R's., were also present. Mr Allen waPvoted to the chair. The Chairman said that at the stage they had now reached the best thing for them to do was to consider four or five main question*,, the settling of which would enable a bill to be drafted on certain lines, to ba subn.itted to the ratepayers. He and Mr Reid had gone carefully into the matter, consulting with the solicitors to several of the bodies interested, and had some tentative suggestions to bring forward. Fir-t, the boundaries of tha drainage district must be considered, and there should be no great difficulty in settling what these should be. After that the sub-division of the whole district for representation purposes must oe considered, as also the rat'ng powers of the new boaid and the question of dealing with their existing loans, while tho new board would require some larger powcia than gi\pn them by the Drainage Act to enable them to make channels in Lakes Wailvola and Waipori, and reclaim the latter, and secure an endowment. Mr Reid would outline the proposed boundaries 'o tho in.

Mr D. Reid, jun , explained that it was pioposed that the new drainage distr.ct should comprise the areas now included ai the rxittmg drainage and liver district;, also Waipon Lake, an'l certain cthc-r portions of the phiin not now included in any drainage district — namely, the land lying between the railway line, the southwest boundary of the Henley River district, and Waihola Lake: that part of the north end of Lake Waihola cut off by a lino drawn aero« the lake to the roadhno- forming the so'jtli boundary of block XV, Waihola district, and aho the area lying to the northwards of a line formed by continuing along the. roadlinp forming part of the south boundary of block XVII, Clarendon district, thence along the said roadhne to tho education reserve, and then north-west to Berwick brjdgu ; also, the area lying between th» north-west boundary of the West Taieri River district and the closed roadline running from West Taieri bridge through section 29, block VII, Maungatua. district, to the north boundary of section 29, thence along tho boundary of block VII to Woodside township, thence along the main road to the corner of section 1 of 9, block 11, Maungatua district; thence to the northwest corner of section 43, block 11, and thence along the boundary of section 43. of Waipon Ki\pr, and thonce along the river to Berwick bridge.

Mr Millar thought too much high land was being included.

The Chairman said he had omitted to state that the land would be classified according to benefits received.

Mr C'hisholm moved that the drainage areft be bounded on the hill side by the base of the ridges. It was a sort of sentimental idea to say th& water came from the mountains. The people on tho plain, in the first instance, knew what they were going to. The most the present meeting could do would be to establish a general line as boundary- On'y the land to be benefited should be included.

Mr Stevenson seconded the motion

Mr Snow =aicl they could not shut their eves to the fact that the water came from these lidges. Ho would move, as an ampn'lm&utj that Bart of the fldze laud be taken

in. No one would then escape who reaped any benefit from their operations. Mr Bruce seconded the amendment* etating that if the water that was now coming down and flooding tlieii -had not been diverted some 25 years ago ' there would have b&en no trouble. . . On being put to the meeting the amendment was lost, and the motion carried. Asked as to classification of land, the Chairman stated that there was no-necessity to discuss this, as it was provided for by the Drainage Act. The base of the ridgea was thc-n to be the boundary of the drainago area, from Outram to Berwick, including Flat. He would suggest thai; more accurate definition., be left to ,^small committee to be elected. ' '•'=■• Mr Chisholm moved that the boundary be continued from tho West Taieri bridge to the of the Waihola branch ■ and Taieri River, and delude Lakes Wai,hola and Waipori, with the" low-lying lane! adjaoent "to the' lakes on the west side. Mr Ke-mpshall seconded the motion. Mr Snow held it a mistake to cross the river at all. | Mr J. Gibson moved as an amendment that the boundary ba from' the Waipori bridge, following the Taieri River down, to the Waihola and T-iieri intersection/and -including Waipori Lake and the main channel. Mr Bruce seconded the amendment. Mr Snow supported this, r.s they should not interfere with Bruca County at all. Mr Stevenson objected that they would be losing a lot if they took Waipori Lake , and deepened it but did not take the lowI lying land at the end of it. j Mr Gibson's amendment was carried, a further amendment by Mr Stevenson being lest, whioh v/as to the effect that certain of the low-lying land on the west side of Lake Waipori should be included. The Chairman said the next thing to be settled was division of tha area for representation. Ho would suggest the new district be divided into four subdivisions, and that the now board consist of two members from , each subdivision, and elected by the ratepayers of each rubdivision. | A resolution to this effect was carried I unanimously. J Tho question of settling the four subdivisions was then discussed, and it was agreed that they be as follows: — (1) West Taicri River district, including any land adjoining the river district brought in at the base of the hills ; (2) Otokia as at present, including pections 31 and 32, block V, Maungatua, and any land not included up to the Taicn River on tho one fide and Lse Cre?k o.i the other; (3) Mavnaauia. from th^ Otokia boundary, to include all tho land to the fouth and west of Lee Creole; (4) Berwick the remainder. '■ The Chairman sairl that as regarded existI incf loans ho would .suggest that U c exiiiting 1 loans and the special rates of the several morged boards should remain charged upon those parts of tho united district with respect to which they were raised and levied, and ' the new board should not be responsible for tho 6ame. but should have power to collect finch special rate 1 ; and apply the proceeds in payment cf interest and principal of existing loans. i Mr Chi=ho!m moved, and Mr Snow seconded— " That tho exifting loans remain a charge upon the districts in respect to which they were raised." Mr J. Gib.'on moved as an amendment, and Mr Souness seconded — " That the new board should take over all existing debts and consolidate them Mr Stevenson favoured the motion, as any other course would probably cause a great deal of friction. Mr Snow said he was sure that if it was tried to enforce the amendment hundreds \»ould vote against the scheme altogether. They had quite enough debts on their shoulders without taking over those of others The Chairman said it was a knotty question. The total debts amounted to nearly £11,000 in tl>e various river and drainage districts. The " annual charges, as far as ascertainable, were £455 a year, not including everything. A id rate over tho two nvpr di->tr!ft=-. which did not irclude all the land now brought in. would realise close on £SCO. and would meet all responsibilities as to the loan° if they wore consolidated. A big question was involved, however, as one of those mer boards had expended £30 000 or £40.000 and pa-d it all off. i Mr Snow said it was unfair, after they had paid all the mone^. they had for the 1 embankment in tbe West Taieri district, that they should be askod to pay off the debt en the Henley district. Mr .7. Gih=ou evplampd that it was the ex'sting dfbts contracted by the drainage boards, not by the mer boards, he referred to

Tho Chairman said this would facilitate things \e-iv much. Tho-e liabilities were £300 on the- West Taieri Board, £1062 on Otokia £817 on Maungatua. and £500 ort Berwick— in all, £3179; £93 10s a year would cover the whole of the interest and capital charges on the d^bts of the drainage boards alone. Mr Chishohn Faid if any debts should be consolidated it should be those of th» river board?. Their works had been of more benefit to the district than those even of the drainage boards. Mr Gibson's amendment— " That the new distnct board should take over the existing debts contracted by the various drainage boards and consolidate thorn '" — was carried. Mr Cliisholm moved—" That the liabilities of the ex'fiting river boards be alfo taken over." — Mr Gibson seconded this, and it was carried. It was further resolved that the new board should have rating powers up to faix farthings, and should have, in addition to the present; powers of the drainage boards, power to channel Lake Waipori. to reclaim the lake, and lease the reclaimed land. It was also resolved that a local bill fee prepared by Messrs Duncan and MacGregor embodying the leading principles and necessary machinery clauses, to be printed and circulated among the different bodies. Messrs Kempshall, Millar. Robinson, Carrntherp. J Gibson, and Bruce were appointed a committee to determine th_. boundary at the base of the hills. It was resolved to hold the next meeting at Outram. The Chairman complimented the delegate on the way thov had worked together «o far and sunk their little- differences, and urged them to bring the scheme before their ratepayers in as favourable a light as possible, and as one in which pacrifices must bo made for the general eood A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the meeting.

WOLFFS SCHNAPPS Acknowledged by the Medical Faculty.