DRAINAGE AREA

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 73, Issue 6284, 18 September 1946, Page 6

DRAINAGE AREA

KAIPAKI SETTLERS MODIFY PROPOSALS CONFUSED ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONS Having seme time ago been i equested by a group of Kaipaki settlers to form and administer a drainage area with the Kaipaki riding, the Waipa County Council on Monday became confronted with a change of plans which the law did not enable it to undertake. The settlers had asked that the rating area be formed and the Council had complied, incurring costs of about £6O in the procedure for the constitution of the district and the necessary classification of the lands affected. But the settlers then changed their ideas and asked for other processes, apparently because the classifications was inacceptable to some. It was explained that the settlers request would require either amending or special empowering legislation. The remarkable feature was that no settler had appealed agains the classification, so that it was now competent for the Council to go ahead. But the idea of a land drainage scheme was not of the Council’s seeking and' it had only been in the desire to assist the settlers that the Council had acted. It is therefore not the Council’s wish to go ahead as it could, do in the assurance of any proper appeal against the classification.

In the discussion it was explained that three meetings had been held at Kaipaki at which the proposed classification had been discussed. The Council ,was asked to carry out maintenance works only, and in that case it was held to be unfair to adopt the full scale and classification as proposed. The settlers had also decided that the Council consult with the ratepayers before any major work is undertaken.

In the situation as thus presented, it seemed that the whole scheme would be defeated by abandoning the main works. The settlers had asked for a drainage .area, but when the works were planned it appeared that it would cost more than the settlers had anticipated. In the discussion it was shown that the Council cannot now levy a rate for maintenance purposes only. The position is such that the original petition has been negatived by the settlers affected. About £6O of riding funds had been spent in forming the area and the whole proceedings to date had now become halted. The Council had acted upon the request of the settlers and an impossible position had arisen. After a general discussion it w r as decided to leave the whole question in abeyance. If legislation is amended the Council can undertake the maintenance as suggested in the resolution. Failing that the property owners will require to clear and keep the drains open in the normal way as individuals.