DRAINAGE BOARDS.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15313, 14 August 1923, Page 9

DRAINAGE BOARDS.

HUNGAHUNGA. Tho August, mooting of tho Ilungaliunga Drainage Board was hold at To Arolia on Saturday, there being present Messrs P. K. Hughes (chairman), W. It. Mathers, P. Harvey .and It. Burke.

Peria Outlet. Mr G. W. Ogden, Waharoa, wrote that the contractor for the Peria outlet drain is making good progress. The writer understood, however, that no orders for cleaning out Tyler’s outlet drain had been issued. He therefore urged a visit from the engineer.—The chairman considered that tho work would be far t-oo expensive at the present time. However, the suggestion that the engineer inspect and report would bo carried out. Boundary Drains. The Tumu Kaituna Drainage Board, Te Puke, wrote that the Board is in considerable difficulty owing to damage done to its main drains by cattle belonging lo settlers. The drain in question was made on a public road, and is about half a chain distant from the boundaries of properties on one side, and more than a chain distant from the boundaries of property on the ’Other side, so that the land adjoining the drain does not belong to private individuals, but is a county road. The Board is aware that if the drain had boon made right on the boundary of the properties the Board could by the recent Act have forced the settlers to fence. The Board would be grateful if the Ilungaliunga Board could assist it by stating what action it takes in such cases. —To be informed that the Board had no experience of such cases. Dredging Proposals. The clerk-engineer of the Waitoa Drainage Board forwarded copy of letter received from the Lands Drainage Engineer re the Waitoa River, dredging proposals, and suggesting a conference. —The chairman and Mr R. Burke were appointed delegates. Objection to Valuation. Mr G. T. Newsome, Waharoa, complained at the non-receipt of reply to his objection to the Government valuation for area held by him. —Left to clerk and engineer to attend to. Defective Drains. Mr .T. W. Finnerty, Waharoa, wrote complaining of the bad state of tho drain running through his property at Turanga-o-moana Road, which bad not been cleared since 1921. —The engineer, was instructed to have work carried out.

ELSTOW. The August meeting of the Elstow Drainage Board was held at Waihou on Friday afternoon. Mr G. Stewart presided, there being also present Messrs W. Dale and F. I. Hunt. Awaiti Drainage. A letter from Mr M. H. Wynyard, Auckland, to the Board read as follows; —“i have seen both Mr Carter and Mr Hanna since their visit in regard to classification. It seems to me tho next most urgent matter is to apply to the Government for a grant towards the work, as thereby we will know what amount we will have to apply for authority by poll for a loan. 1 have accordingly, after seeing Mr Campbell, the land drainage engineer, with Mr Hanna, prepared an application for a sunsidy of £ for £ towards the amount which will have to be found by private owners. I think it Is in a satisfactory form, but will require you to fill in the 'particulars in the central area, sub-division D.” —The action of the engineer, after conferring with the chairman, in agreeing to act in accordance with the request, was endorsed by the Board. The following is a copy of the letter forwarded by. tlm Board to the Under-Secretary, Hands Department, Wellington:—“Proposals were made to the Elstow Drainage Board by the Land Drainage Department on November 6 last for the construction of a drainage canal from Kerepcchi southward along the Awaiti stream, with drains extending from the end of the canal further south into the central sub-division ,of the Elstow Drainage District, and incidental works. The matter was brought before meetings of the ratepayers in both the Central and Awaiti sub-divisions of the drainage district. The meeting of ratepayers in the central sub-division approved of .the principle, subject to fair adjustments as to the boundaries and classification. The meeting in the Awaiti sub-division passed a resolution approving of ‘the proposals and dealing with incidental matters. Tho Elstow Drainage Board has since had the, necessary inspection made of the privately-owned lands in the Central and Awaiti sub-divisions of its district with a view to classification, and such classification is now being put into form. It appears that some 5000 aero:* in the Central subdivision of the area which the Lands Drainage Department proposed should be included, is above all flood level and can only bo classified as D land, while some of tho remainder of the land in both the Awaiti and Central sub-divisions is ridged 'land, or fairly high land, and will lie classified D ; C or B. On tho other hand the whole of the Crown land is swamp land and would lie classified A. It is clear therefore, that the ‘area of privaloly owned lands which will actually have to bear the proportion of cost mentioned in the report of 'the Oth November will be much less than tl )c area mentioned therein, viz., 1.7,-i 00 acres. The bulk of the land owned by private owners is at present unproductive, and though, dry foi a considerable time is subject to sudden liooils, which water-log it for months at a time. It is in- the interests of the country al. large that those valuable lands should he brought into occupation, as well as the large area ( if Crown lands that will also be brought into use by the proposed works. It has always been the policy of Hie Government to subsidise drainage schemes having for Iheir object liic improvement of iand and the increase of production, and in view of Ibis, and the facts sliced above (which make Hie loading oil the privately owned lands extremely heavy), the Board would ask for your recommendation of a subsidy ol £ for £ towards the cost (£34,145) of the scheme to private owners. The Land Drainage Department expects lo have, ils new dipper dredge at Kcrcpcelii ready in about Uvo months’ lime to j staid* on Ibis work, and the Board is! desirous of having Hie formalities and ; financial arraiigTiiienls made, find a i poll for any necessary work, taken J before then so as lo ensure Ihc work being started at once. The Board would esteem it a favour, therefore, j if you would give this mailer your, early 'consideration, so l-hat, the Board, may. make the necessary arrangements for such loan as will lie necessary to make up its share of the cost.” Mr Campbell supplied the, following report on the (drainage of the Awaiti area:—-‘‘The watershed of the

To Awaiti Stream comprises 31.500 acres, and extends from Kcrepeehi southwards for a distance of approximately 20 miles, with an average width of three miles. Within this watershed are lands within the boundaries of both the Elstow Drainage District and tho Hauraki Plains Rating District, fi'lic entire area requires iinwatcring, and as one system of unwatering must deal with the whole area it is necessary that some workable arrangement acceptable to both authorities should be arrived at in order that development works might ho taken in hand. Details of tho scheme proposed and estimates of cost were also supplied by Mr Campbell. According ito his calculations tho total cost of all works would be £64,200, of which the 17,400 acres of privately owned land would require to be loaded with the sum of £34,145, and the 14,100 acres of Grown lands with £30,055.

Resolutions passed unanimously at a meeting of the ratepayers of the Awaiti sub-division of the Elstow drainage approved of the scheme on certain conditions, amongst which were: That the total cost of the works to which they will have to contribute does not exceed within 3 per cent of £45,500 for tho main drainage works, and £18,700 for ‘the subsidiary drainage and roading; that any moneys over and above those estimates required to complete the work shall be found by the Grown without contribution from the Board; that the Drainage Department will undertake the work, and that an adequate subsidy satisfactory to the Board be obtained from the Government towards the amount which the ratepayers of the Elstow ’district will under the proposals have to raise for their proportion of the costs of the scheme.