WEST TAIERI DRAINS

Otago Witness, Issue 3215, 27 October 1915, Page 33

WEST TAIERI DRAINS

ENGINEER’S RECOMMENDATIONS. The engineer submitted a report at Hi a last meeting of the board, from which wo take the following:—l have again gone into the matter of reducing tho number of drains to bA maintained by the board in the future, and the setting up of a permanent gang to look after the drains and other property of the board throughout tho district. Of drains which I recommend should be maintained by the board in the future, the total length is approximately 41 miles, or, with tho contour and Wylie’s Creek diversion added, amounts to 51 miles. Under this heading I have included only drains which act as outlets to the river, main drains to the pump, or main drains through distinct districts. Tho total mileage is still large, but some of the drains, or parts of them, will require little attention. Other drains, although of_ importance to the part of the district _ which they serve, are only secondary drains, so far as the whole district is concerned. The cleaning or not cleaning of these drains is really a question of finance. They cannot be termed “ private drains.” I therefore suggest that although they bo not included in the ordinary maintenance work of a permanent gang, they be cleaned out at intervals as the finances, permit. It will be necessary to appoint permanently a number of men to continuously look after the board’s property. The Taieri and Waipori Rivers and tho lake embankments, the contour embankments and bridges, and the river outlet boxes all want periodical attention. In tho past the greater part of the drain cleaning has been done by employing a more or less largo number of men for a few months in the year Owing to the amount of water to be dealt with, tho number of drains, and to the sometimes rapid growth of vegetation in the drains, this method was With the completion of the contour and Wylie’s Creek works, the amount of drain cleaning will bo less than formerly, and a permanent gang should now be able to undertake a considerable portion of the work. I propose that at least three men bo employed —two men in charge of the lower district, up to say Mom on a road, and one man for the district above tho Momona road. One of the men in the lower district would also bo in charge of the pumping station. Mr Campbell pointed out that some ratepayers would be under a hardship by certain drains being struck off the list. —lt was explained by the chairman that it was not intended to abandon these drains absolutely. When finances permitted, or when occasion demanded, these drains could receive attention. The water in the drains mentioned bv Mr Campbell, through the effect of the drainage now being completed, should not rise to the former extent.