DRAINAGE

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 66286, 5 October 1925, Page 5

DRAINAGE

lIUNG A HUNG A BOARD The monthly meeting of the Hungahunga Drainage Board was held in the Borough Council Chambers on Saturday. Present: Messrs F. Hughes (chairman), J. Orr, Thompson, liallett, Harvey, Mathers, Hansen, and the engineer (Mr W. R. Johnson). The common seal of the Board was authorised to be affixed to seven copies of the by-laws made in conjunction with the Waitoa and Elstow Boards. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Harvey* that the chairman and engineer meet a ratepayer who was objecting to the rates the Board proposed to levy. Mr R. W. Sutton (Manawaru) forwarded cheque for rates and stated that he would not pay the 10 per cent, penalty as he had not received the notice till it had travelled all over the country. The same thing had happened before, and from instructions he had given his address should be known at the Board’s office. “If the clerk had to pay a few penalties himself he would remember the address.” —The letter caused some amusement, and the clerk explained that the fault was not really his. It was last year’s rates on which the penalty was imposed. Reference to the ratebook showed that the address given was Waihou, and it was decided to remit the penalty. A letter was received from Mr Gilchirst dealing with the Board’s responsibility where it cuts a drain in such a way as to interfere with the working of farm land by the owner. The Board’s liability depended on whether the betterment to the land offset any disabilities. The engineer said that the Elstow and Waitoa Boards usually bore half of the cost of bridges made necessary by the cutting of a drain. He pointed out that if any bridge was authorised by the Board there was a certain amount of liability to the Board in the event, of the bridge breaking down. Once the bridge was up and it had been proved reasonably safe the Board’s responsibility ended. The chairman: The Board would have to see that bridges were built according to their specifications. The engineer suggested that. the Board prepare plans of a suitable bridge and insist on all bridges being built accoi'ding to these plans. The Board could also fix a standard weight for loads across a bridge.

The chairman: For the great majority of the Board’s drains 9x3 stringers would be quite strong enough. The engineer suggested that the Board pass a resolution fixing a tonnage for all farm bridges across drains. Mr Harvey thought every case should be dealt with on its merits. Mr Hansen: Could we not state in the minutes in each case what weight the bridge should carry? Several members agreed that this would be the better way. The chairman said he took it from Mr Gilchrist’s letter that the Board was bound to put up bridges in the two cases which had been under consideration (Bairstow and Given). Mr Orr: What about the bridge across the drain on my farm? The chairman: We can prove that the benefits to you more than set off the inconvenience. Mr Hansen moved that the Board make the same arrangements for the erection of bridges as were made by the Elstow and Waitoa Boards. It was stated that the two last named Boards found the stringers and the farmers found the rest of the materials and the labour. The motion was carried. It was left with the chairman to see Mr Given about the bridge on his land and come to suitable arrangements. Messrs Carroll and Somers (solicitors) wrote asking for a remission of the 10 per cent, penalty imposed for 1924-25 on the property of J. T. Sheehan, deceased, on the ground that the rate demand had been sent to the wrong person. —It was decided to remit the penalty. Mr H. E. Sweetman (Matamata) wrote returning rate demand and stating that he was not responsible to the Board for any rates; he was not the owner of any land in its district. The man responsible was, he presumed, Mr C. F. Tyler.—The clerk said the demand had now been made on Mr Tyler. Mr R. Young (Matamata) wrote stating that his land was classed D by the chief drainage engineer, and the rates demanded by the Board were not justified. Mr Orr said that Mr Young was now in Ireland. It was decided to leave the matter in the hands of Mr Gilchirst. Messrs Izard Loughman forwarded rates amounting to £ll2 1/8 on the estate of E. R. Chudleigh. On one section for which the Board had claimed, the rates were payable by Mr Charles Ottis Bowen.— Received. A long letter, addressed to Mr Gilchrist, was received from Messrs Kirkness Bros, in reference to the rates on section 22, Blk. XIV., Wai-rc-rc. This land had formerly been owned by them, but they subdivided it and in June, 1921, they sold the lot. Part of the farm was subject to drainage rates, but that part was nearly" all on Lot 1, the Wairere end of the farm, which was sold to Mr J. W. Finnerty. Lot 2, the part now in dispute, was sold to Mr G. Dalzeil in 1921, but there was certainly some mistake in charging for so many acres of A, B and C land on Lot. 2. There was quite a lot of Lot 1 which benefitted by the drain, and through some error this must have been charged to Lot 2. If the matter was looked into they thought it would be found that Lot 2 was being saddled with someone else’s rates. If it could be learned how many acres were classified on Lot 1 and how many on Lot 2, and the date of classification, it would clear things up. The clerk had mentioned that they

might be responsible as mortgagors, but surely if legal proceedings were to be taken they should be against., the occupier first and not the mortgagor. The clerk said they would have to proceed against Dalziel. The matter was left in the hands of the chairman, Mr Johnson and the clerk. The chairman said that Mr Dalziel wanted a new classification of his land, but this could not be done without re-classifying the whole area. A portion of Mr Dalziel’s land was rated too high, bpt a remission could be made after the Board had taken proceedings. With reference to M. Devcich’s application for an increase in the price for his contract, the chairman said that he and Mr Johnson had made an inspection and they wei'e quite satisfied that Mr Devcich had had a very hard time. He had had to go through a forest of timber which had not been reckoned with when tendering. The price tendered was 1/3 per yard or £3 12/4 a chain, and they agreed to an increase of 7/8 per chain bringing the price up to £4. Mr Hhompcon said they had a minute on the book by which no addition could be made to the contract price till the completion of the job. The chairman said the case was unusual and the previous resolution could be overridden if the Board was unanimous. The trouble was that Mr Devcich might throw his contract up if the price was not increased. A member said that inasmuch as they had left this matter in the hands of the chairman and engineer they must abide by their decision. The action of the chairman and engineer was confirmed. The chairman reported on a drain which Mr Tuck wished to have widened. He (the chairman) had authorised the work. Mr Tuck would be credited with his general rate in the Manawaru area this year and the Board would pay Mr Tuck half of the balance in April or May and the remainder the following year. Meanwhile the whole of the work would be done at Mr Tuck’s expense. The clerk: We will have to treat it as a temporary loan. The action of the chairman was confirmed. Mr Hallett moved that the engineer be requested to prepare stock plans of bridges of different spans to carry from two tons upwards.— This was carried. Mr Mathers stated that he had been told by several settlers on Chudleigh estate that unless drainage could be given they would have to leave their farms. The chairman said he had received a complaint from Mr Hickey with regard to sand washing out in the Piraunui. If much further damage was done Mr Hickey said he would hold the Board responsible. The engineer said the only way was to put in a groin turning the water away from the bank, and that would be very costly. The chairman: I was given to understand that fascines would do all that is necessary. Mr Mathers: Why should be Board be responsible? The clerk: We have to keep our drains in good order. The overdraft at present, said the clerk, is £I9OO. The chairman said there were a number of people on the Piraunui whose land was classed A who were not getting benefits commensurate with what they paid in rates. The engineer was asked to report on the wash-out at Mr Hickey's. Replying to Mr Mathers, the clerk said that the solicitor had collected some rates. The engineer (Mr W. R. Johnson) reported as follows: — . ' Heavy rains have fallen during the interim/and our drains have been severely taxed, but have coped with the volume of water in a satisfactory manner. More especially does this apply to our Waihekau outlet, which has recently been enlarged in sectional area and is most satisfactory. The Government Inspector visited the works in respect of the North and South Waihekau special loan subsidy grant expenditure, and expressed satisfaction at the way the money had been expended. He promised to expedite the remittance with dispatch. The chairman and myself visited Devcich’s contract 262 D, which is the upper section of the Waihekau outlet, and after inspection we agreed to increase the price to £4 per chain. The drain strata is very hard and full. of timber, and we thought the increase a fair one. The class of workmanship being done is splendid and merited the full value of the Government Inspector’s remarks, when he stated that it was seldom he had the pleasure of viewing such fine work. Tuck’s drain battering has been put in hand and is now well advanced. Good work is being carried out. The Peranui special rating area re-classification is well in hand and will be presented at the next Board meeting. „ , ‘ Drain Bridges: I understand that the Board’s solicitors have written re the position of stock bridges. Nothing has so far been done in respect to Bairstow’s and Given’s bridges. Adopted.