RIVER BOARD’S SCHEME.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3531, 31 August 1926, Page 2

RIVER BOARD’S SCHEME.

FURTHER MEETING OF OBJECTING RATEPAYERS.

A further meeting of the Manawatu Ratepayers’ Association, which is opposed to the scheme of flood protection as proposed by the Manawatu-Oroua River Board,was held at Palmerston N. on Saturday, when arrangements were made in connection with the commission, which commenced sitting in Palmerston N. yesterday. Mr A. Guy occupied the chair.

" The Minister of Internal Affairs wrote advising that if the GovernorGeneral gave effect to any recommendations by the commission that certain local bodies should contribute toward the board’s scheme, such opportunity would be final and binding. It could be enforced by the board as if it were a judgment of the Supreme Court. However, be failed to see that such a provision authorised the river board or any other local body concerned to raise loans without the consent of the ratepayers. Neither was he aware of any other provisions which would enable the river board to borrow moneys for its works without first obtaining the consent of the ratepayers. The chairman remarked that while this might be so, the river board might be obliged to take a poll of its own ratepayers, and other local authorities compelled to contribute might have to raise their quotas without taking a poll.