A DRAINAGE PROBLEM.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume LVIII, Issue 20, 19 June 1926, Page 5 (Supplement)

A DRAINAGE PROBLEM.

HUIROA'S GRIEVANCE. That the position in regard to the Mbhakau Road is a serious one, was the opinion- expressed by Or. T. T. Murray at the meeting of the County Council to-day. There were, lie said, about Ave miles of swamp between Huiroa and, Kiore, and the only outlet- for water was through creeks and drains. Many of the drains tyad silted up and In places the road had been washed out. The Council had done a fair iamount of work in connection with cleaning out drains -and building concrete bridges, but the main trouble was that the creek •problem, had never been tackled. From the Makuri bridge down, there seemed to be a distinct fall, but on two properties the creek had been Rocked up, and the water from the swamp could not get away, much damage being caused thereby. The settlers in question had made no attempt to clean the drain. The Engineer pointed out that tfie bulk of the work in the past on that road had been done by the Council. Some time ago a meeting of settlers Had been called at Huiroa to deal with drainage matters, but only two had attended. Cr. Murray: The settlers have wakened up now, and one of them has offered to donate £25 towards the cost of clearing out the drains. Cr. Were said that the trouble seemed to be that a wider channel was necessary. Cr. Pitt thought the settlers undoubtedly had a grievance. The whole of the water of about r.OOO .acres of swamp went into drains, and .when these blocked up the road was so low that it became a watercourse. The railway department had a big drain and should be asked to clean this out. That necessary work had not been done for years. >. After much further discussion it was decided to serve the necessary notices to the settlers in question to clean drains, and the railway depart-ment-will be requested to do like-