REFERENCE BOARD.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4404, 21 April 1922, Page 3

REFERENCE BOARD.

VISIT OF MINISTER. MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION. Matters of especial interest in view qt the visit of the Minister of Public Works (Hon. J. G. Coates) to Paeroa next Tuesday .evening, were discussed at a meeting of the Thames Valley '’Drainage Reference Board yesterday, Mr E. W. Porritt (Paeroa Chamber of Commerce) presiding over Messrs J. Jtovze.(Thames Borough Council)!,, W. D. Keys (Rotokohu Ratepayers,’ Assn.) E. Edwards (Paeroa Borougn Council), W. F. Johnstone (Ohinemu’,i County Council), A. White (Paeroa Borough Council), J. W. Silcock (Northern S.S. CO.), D. Donald,son (Waihi Borough Council)!, F. L. Kenrick (Te Aroha Chamber qS Commerce), R. Coulter (Te Aroha Borough Council), H. Banks (Waihi mining companies), R. Heappy (Hauraki Drainage Board), E. W. Horne (Bestow Drainage Board), F. W. Walters (Piako County Council), W. K. McLean (Kerepeehi district), V. Dunlop (Komata North Farmers’ Union), J. Couper, secretary. . Mr Donaldson thqjight it would be advisable to put concrete proposals before the Minister, unanimously.. Mr McLean urged the advisability of impressing upon the Minister the „ very representative composition of the Reference Bdard. ' Mr J. W. Silcpdk also stressed the 1 need of a united front, and that all matters should cqme before him from tha Board;, • and not from separate parties. Mr Walters said he could not agree, as the people‘of. Piako wanted to put before the Minister their objections to the ainouht of rating allocated to Piako for the Improvements Scheme. Mr Coulter emphasised that the finding ‘of the Commission must he objected to. It w,as. absolutely ridiculous from Te Ardha’s point of, view*, in respect to the He moved that the Board oppose tire finding. Mr Donaldson seconded. Mr Keys thought the basis of the Public Works 'Department scheme should be ascertained before anv stand was taken. No one could say at present what the scheme was, pr the cost thereof. ’ . ' Mr Walters wanted to know if the ratepayers in the areas to be fited were prepared to pay for them, . instead of" the charge being loaded upon other people who would receive a detriment. " Mr Keys: The Public Works Department itself does not uphold the estimate or the basis upon which the figures rested. Mr McLean argued that the Board should insist on a practicable scheme at reasonable dost, after whiph the matter of .allocations, could fee dis£cussed. Everyone would have to .give a little more than.they ought’to. ' Mr Walters said the land would not ■ be .wm.th the £625,000 estimated cost. Mr Porritt:, That is so ,and that , is why half the cost was put upon ; the Government. •' Stage "A” of the 1919 Commission, Mr Porritt. said, and stage "B” was the work upon which the Board wanted enlightenment, and not upon some other scheme. The 19-21 Commission recommended that the enshould .again go into the cost, and try to Reduce it. • Mr Hor,ne said the allocation, and not 'the cost, was what Eilstow ratepayers objected to. Mr Coulter 3aid the amount allocated against Te Aroha would equal half the borough rates,) and the residents h,ad better walk out and let the Government take the town otter. ■ Mr Donaldson: I? the allocation surprises Te Aroha, it more £han surprises Waihi, for we will be stripped y naked. (Laughter.) In many cases s other bodies had had reduction over previous allocations, but Waihi’s burden was increased, for some unac- " countable reason. A member had said Commissions were eyewash; well, : t had washed the dust out of the eyes of Waihi people. It was paltry, to decide and announce that if the revenue of Waihi Borough sunk below £250 a year that Waihi should make the contribution .up “io that amount. / It looked vindictiveROYAL COMMISSIONS. Mr Donaldson said the Commission of 19'21 was composed of bne strong man (Mr Buchanan). Every pennypiece the' Waihi Borough had received had been earned by the men who worked in the mines. If it were not for the outside investments of the Waihi G.M. Co., it would npt now pay any dividends. Mr Kenrick observed that Mr DonZ aldspn would .at least have the proverbial sackcloth and ashes to cover “his nakedness. (Laughter.) The, Board should engage ah engineer to prepare an estimate independent of the Public Works Department. Mr Porritt: We have that, in the report of three capable engineers, Messrs Furkett, Hay, and Ashley Hunter. The chairman of. the 1919 Commission, (Mr Furkett) became Engineer-,in-Chiefl of the Public Works Department, and yet it seemed that the-1919 scheme was\being overridden by some other . huge scheme. , . Mr Banks : It is the' scope of the work, and .not the cost, that needs objecting to. The cost is a factor changing constantly, but the scope is a definite matter, and if this were limited the cost would come down pro rata. Mr Keys held that the ccffet of improvements should be loaded on land before sale. The farmers were prepared to bear a fair share of the cost now; it was a farming proposition "and not merely a boroughs one. Grown had to pay 10s per, acre for improvements, and Crown land should be taxed'likewise. Mr Donaldson said someone had bungled in- going into a gigantic scheme, exceeding the £150,0(10 firs: estimated;, which position had naturally been bolstered up by two members of the Commission- who were high officers in the public Works Department. \ It was finally decided, on tine* motion of Messrs Coulter ,and McLean: “That this Board disagrees with, the. ‘Cost of the River Imprpveirtent Skheffie.” )

Messrs Coulter and Donaldson nlsved: That this Board disagrees with the allocation of the costs of the River Improvement Scheme, as recommended by the 1921 Commission.

Mr Coulter emphatically laid it down that the improvement of the river was one thing of benefit to Te Aroha

Mr Rowe said the present rate would m6re than take the whole ot the revenue from the Thames Endowment lands. Mr Donaldson held that the Government should pay for its pwn mistake in la.unch.ing upon so huge a scheme.

Mr Keys: A previous Government’s mistake declared Mie river a sludge channel. The lands benefiting could carry a good portion of the reduced cost.

Mr Coulter moved that the Government set up a river bqard to control the improvement scheme. Mr McLean seconded, stating that he had proposed a similar motion four years ago.

Mr Porritt pointed out that the Reference Board had already agreed to the Public Works Department finishing certain work before a river board was formed, which body would take over all assets and liabilities. The 1919 report, which provided for low stop-banks and partial, dredging, was the best proposition that< ever came forward, and £his was the work to be done before the river board was formed.

Mr McLean considered that ,a conference with the Public Works Department engineers would result in a smaller-scheme beingtoutlihed, cost allocated, and then a river, board could carry out the work. Messrs Silcock, Walters, and White thought it unwise to ask for a river board at present. Mr Keys -said the Public Works Dopa'rtmerit had a lot of new machinery working; and good progress had been made during the last 12 or 18 months. Few of the members of the Board knew anything about the work they were doing. (

Mr Coulter thought that if the work was done by local men it would be done more cheaply. Also, 'tihere should be no taxation without representatipn. Mr Porritt: We are liable for only £150,000. yet, until the Act is altered. A Voice: And Waihi pays .all the £150,000. (Laughter.) The motion in reference to a rive.' 'board was withdrawn. Mr Donaldson: The Government is not finding half the money out of the Treasury; the' money was coming from the. Crown lands enhanced in value thte work. He proposed that this feature be stressed to the Minister of Public Works. Mr Walters seconded.—Carried.

Mr V. Duplop said there were rougWy 30,000 acres of land on the Aw.aiti receiving benefit, much more than were the settlers’ lands further down.

Messrs Porritt, Donaldson, H. M. Wynyard (Auckland Chamber of .Commerce), and McLean were, deputed to put the Board’s representations before the Minister. ' Mr Coulter moved that the Government be asked to submit its proposals in regard to amendments- to the Act to the Board before the Bill is brought forward.- —Carried. * Mr Dunlop moved that the unjust operations of the Betterment Clause he brought before the Minister. The Government could take land fct 1895 value ; the man at the river front had to bear the whole of the loss, while the man at the back got pff free. The works were very detrimentally affecting riparian lands; cutting, about some holdings extensively. Fair compensation should be paid to those affected.—Carried.

Mr Silcock said it was h,ardly understandable why the recommendations o*' successive commissions |that the river should be dredged had not been given .effect to. He moved that this matter, vitally affecting Paeroa and Te Aroha, should be brought before the Minister.—Seconded by Mr Coulter and carried.