A PUBLIC WORKS BILL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 976, 17 November 1910, Page 2

A PUBLIC WORKS BILL.

1 0 . " ' ' COXTROI/. OF WATEE-POWER. ? Miscellaneous amendments to. the .Pub* ;. lie Works .Act are proposed in a BiH'cirJ i 'culatetMast; night. f The Bill ■, proposes- that the Minister may be authorised by Order-in-Couneil tb , i construct and maintain waiter-works, and shall liave all-the rights and powers con- . .-. ferred upon a county council- bythe- ■ Water Supply Act, 1908, in respeot to , such water works." Land may be taken' ■ • for-water-power. works. - . ... . If in the opinion of the Governor-m----i Council the effect of the construction of i any .water-race will be materially to in-. ■ crease the .value' of land which could be ; : irrigated by. means 'of; it, if .upon the • construction: of any water-Tace-the land-■- ■ owners in the .district do pot avail them-.. • selves of the- .water for irrigation or other. 1 purposes'to .such'..an.'e3:tent..as' justifies the existence of the race, the Governor 1 iniay take'.the .whole or, any portion . ofsuch l'tind" which in his"oj>iniori-could'b® usefully irrigated by means of:the-water* .Compensation for the land taken shall be based upon the value of the 1 land im-' .... mediately prior to the construction of the- , water-race. '. The I.and Board may allow any person from whom land was taken-, to acquire by sale or lease, without bal- . lot, any reasonable area of the same, but . ...not more: than two hundred 'acres shall be given to'any one person without ' the consent of the Minister. Before the land is sold or leased the Governor may cause irrigation works, roads,' or other works to be constructed on it. tal value of the land is to be decided by the Lhnd Board. - ' .... ' .. .. The Governor may, by Order-in-Council,. authorise the Minister to use- electrical: ener«v when so generated in the construe. .. tioii, 'working, or maintenance of any public work or for the smelting, reduction, manufacture, or development of ores,' metals, or other substances. All sums received m respect, of the sale of electrical energy or of the sale, of wat»r or water-power or water-rights under "this Act shall be paid to the credit of the Consolidated Fund.' ' . • Anv local authority may. establish swim-< ■ ming baths, and may take the necessary..-, land, buildings, and appliances. A local authority may construct, or reconstruct footways or channels on one or both side 9 of anv street or road, and may impose .- not more than one-half the cost-upon the owners of lands fronting the works. -. 11l the ease of any Native reserve or Native land situated in a borough, the Public Trustee may subdivide the land, and may leaso or sell it, and may con-. : struct roads or streets. The money received bv the Public Trustee shall be u=ed to recoup him for his expenditure, and the balance, shall be paid to the beneficial owners of the land in such, shares as mav bo equitable, or as the "Native Land 'Court may determine. - ~ The Governor, in the case of Government roads, or the local authority may nublicly prohibit heavy traffic as defined in the principal Act, or any special class of traffic from proceeding between any two points by way of any road or street mentioned in the notice. Contravention of such notice invites*a penalty not exceeding .£lO for each offence, unless the driver can satisfy the Court there, was no other way reasonably available for the ''The Governor, or a local authority, is empowered to take land for forest plantation purposes, recreation grounds, or scenery preservation. _ ; ' ■