LAKE FORSYTH DRAINAGE

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22506, 14 September 1938, Page 9

LAKE FORSYTH DRAINAGE

AMENDMENTS TO BILL

APPROVED

DECISION OF WAIREWA

COUNTY COUNCIL

The chairman (Mr F. Coop) reported at the monthly meeting of the Wairewa County Council on his visit to Wellington about the Lake Forsyth Bill. He said the council had a letter from the Public Works Department which was not in accordance with the arrangements made with the Minister for Public Works. The council’s solicitor accompanied him to Wellington, and they saw the Minister. The Treasury asked that the £4OOO to the credit of the Lake Forsyth Endowment Fund should be provided by the council before the work on the outlet was started. On behalf of the council the chairman had agreed that £4OOO of the £SOOO required for the scheme would be found by the council instead of £3OOO, and by the rating area £IOOO instead of £2OOO. He moved that the council accept the amendments which he had indicated. Cr. W. H. Montgomery said the council had met the lake dwellers and had come to the original agreement. They had made a favourable agreement with the Minister for the benefit of the ratepayers in retaining Price’s Reserve. It seemed that the Government officials had tried to whittle down the agreement made with the Minister and substitute one not so advantageous to the council. Between the Government officials and local opposition it seemed that the bill might be defeated in Parliament. The concession to the lake dwellers was a very considerable one, and Cr. Montgomery said that he thought they should accept it. He did not think the maintenance of the outlet as defined in the present bill was right. The council should have a limited responsibility to maintain the outlet. The agreement with the Minister about maintenance would have to be carried out, otherwise the council need not approve the scheme. He seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. A deputation was received about the Lake Forsyth Drainage Bill, consisting of Mr W. Stanbury, Mr F. G. Stanbury, the Rev. A. J. Petrie, and Mr F. Davis, Mayor of Akaroa. Mr W. Stanbury explained that the object of the deputation was to limit the number of ratepayers in the special rating area to the larger properties at the north end who received special benefits.

Mr Petrie said that the centennial committee at Akaroa had no desire to criticise the County Council, but it sincerely hoped that the bill would be passed this session. The chairman sketched the history of the negotiations and said that the proposal as suggested by Mr Stanbury could only be approved by the council if the limited number of ratepayers referred to was prepared to accept the whole responsibility for the loan of £IOOO.

Mr Stanbury said that an endeavour would be made to reach an agreement on the lines suggested.

The chairman thanked Mr W. Slanbury for the reasonable way he had pul the case.

MEETING AT AKAROA

RATEPAYERS OBJECT TO SPECIAL AREA

The Lake Forsyth Drainage Bill was discussed at a meeting in Akaroa, when the Mayor (Mr F. Davis) presided. Messrs W. C. and F. G. Stanbury, J. R. White and D. Barwick asked for the support of the residents in the Akaroa Borough' and County to have the bill passed this session as the drainage of the lake was of paramount importance to Banks Peninsula. They explained that unless the lake were drained the stretch of lakeside highway could not be sealed, and this would block the Christchurch-Akaroa Centennial highway proposal. As ratepayers they objected to being included in the special rating area and said they considered those with land round the lake which would be permanently dewatered should be prepared to find the interest and sinking fund on the loan of £IOOO, which the Wairewa County Council wished to impose on the rating area.

Mr T. H. McCombs, M.P., was present, and explained that there was provision in the bill for objections. Mr F. Davis and the Rev. A. J. Petrie agreed to wait on the Wairewa County Council with the deputation of objectors.