A RETROSPECT

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6411, 6 November 1923, Page 6

A RETROSPECT

ELSTOW DRAINAGE DISTRICT The clerk-engineer (Mr W. R. Johnson) presented the following retrospect to Friday’s meeting of the Elstow Drainage Board at Waihou:— The first Board of Trustees took office on the evening of June 26th, 1916, Mr J. A. Clothier being its first chairman. The area then encompassed was very much smaller than what it is today, there having been three additions to the district since it was first formed, namely—The Otway Settlement, the Awaiti, and the Waihou Areas, so that we have to-day a district about double the size it was at the first inception of the Elstow Drainage Board. I think it can be truly be said that the Board with perhaps one or two exceptions has done rattling good work and has fully justified its importance from the viewpoint of a properly constituted drainage authority. The exceptions to which I refer are respecting the drainage of the lowlying lands in the Otway Settlement, and also in the Thames Borough Endowment lands, with the low portions of properties surrounding the outskirts of the last mentioned country. It has been found that the water level of the Waihou and Waitoa Rivers is too high to properly drain /these lands at present, but we have done our best to give relief where possible, and the time when good drainage can be given is now in sight. The financial position of the Board can be stated as being sound. The Board from the very start worked on the Subdivisional basis, and each subdivision has carried out it work on its own money, and has struck a general defferential rate in accordance .with its requirements. The Board has for the past four or five years held the unique position of working without an overdraft, and it is only owing to the ratepayers’ laxity in paying last year’s rates that we have to-day arranged for an overdraft to carry on. The Board has' raised loans for drainage works in the district amounting to a total sum of £13,000, £6OO of which amount has been repaid by way of sinking funds, leaving a net public debt to-day standing at £12,400. We are much later in striking our rates this year for the reason that we had to wait until the Awaiti area was classified in order to be able to include them in our present rating period. There/are certain monies advanced from our general account on account of this area and provision is now being made to reimburse the general fund account by way of levying a rate over that district. Although the Board done very good work in the past, there are still a number of important works yet to be done. The most important of these works is that of joining with the Lands Department in draining the Awaiti Special District. The Department’s responsible officers have prepared and submitted a scheme of works for this purpose and it is estimated that the Board’s portion is about £34,145. The Board has applied for a Government subsidy of £ for £ and succeeded in getting passed and placed on the last Parliamentary Estimates £IOOO on the basis of £1 for £3 on account. From this we are led to assume that we are to get about £BOOO on account of this work. Steps are now well advanced with the raising of a Special Loan of £30,000 which sum together with the subsidy should suffice to make a first-class job of the drainage of these lands. Regarding the Waitoa River. —An Association of the interested Boards has been instituted and pressure has been brought to bear on the powers that be to continue the dredging work to the junction of the Ohine stream. When this work is done I have little doubt proper drainage can then be given to the Otway Settlement lands. I regret to say that our operations in the Eastern Area have not proved the success one could wish. This is chiefly on account of the Waihou River periodically topping the stopbanks and flooding and otherwise damaging the Board works. It will be remembered that the settlers did the stop-banking works themselves but until they are raised to a further height of at least sft this area will not be immune from damage. However, this is a question the ratepayers must face to get proper protection, and it is very little use the Board spending further monies until these banks are raised to the height I have mentioned. In conclusion, I must say it has been a great pleasure and a labor of love to work for the Board in the past and one can only hope that the same harmony can prevail in the future. During the whole of the Board’s existance there has not been one

harsh word spoken over the table board. I much regret the decision of several of the present Trustees to vacate office and think it is a great pity they have done so. They have proved themselves to be very worthy representatives of the ratepayers’ interests, and have given freely of their time with no remuneration whatever on the Board’s business, and the thanks of the ratepayers are due to them for their ungrudging services. Finally, Mr Chairman and Gentlemen, I take this opportunity of extending my heartiest thanks and appreciation of the great assistance the members have given me in carrying out my multifarious duties and I hope that at some future time we will be again associated together in carrying out and administering the affairs of the Elstow Drainage District.