MANAWATU-OROUA RIVER BOARD SCHEME.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3586, 13 January 1927, Page 4

MANAWATU-OROUA RIVER BOARD SCHEME.

GOVERNMENT BENEFITS SUMMARISED.

(Concluded from page 1). ■‘Summarising the Government benefits hereinbefore estimated (omitting herefrom for the moment bridge replacement) we have: — £ Increased population 290,083 Benefit to property 4,000 Highways improvement 12,000 Benefit to railways ’ 6,650 Lessened settlers’ demands ... 33,000 Total £345,733 None of the above benefits will, however, be immediate, and the commissioners consider that Government benefit under the above heads should, for the purposes of immediate apportionment, be taken at 8-14ths of the ultimate betterment. In fixing this ratio the commissioners have had regard to the facts that the Government stands similarly with the counties and drainage boards in not being required (as are the lands in the River District) to bear any portion of the costs of maintenance after completion of the proposed works, that the Government generally, pays a lesser interest rate than the local authorities, and that, unlike local authorities, the Government might regard its contribution as lor perpetual benefit, which local authorities can hardly be expected to do. This on the above figures gives a net benefit of £197,562. To this sum should, in the opinion of the commissioners, be added the amount of £IO,OOO allowed as benefit in respect of reduced bridge replacements, which is practically an immediate benefit. The total Government benefit under all heads is, therefore, the commissioners consider, computable on the speculative basis which is necessarily a large element in the computation, at £207,562. SUBSIDY AND CONTRIBUTIONS. Li the opinion of the commissioners, assuming that all preliminary and administration expenses are included in the estimated cost of the scheme, a subsidy not less than £201,041, spread over a period of five years, would be necessary. The contributions to the estimated cos: of construction were recommended as under: £ Manawatu-Oroua River District • 261,130 Internal drainage allowance 50,000 County Councils and Drainage Boards 47,304 £358,434 Borough Councils 12,500 Government subsidy required 201,041 £571.975 PAYMENT RECOMMENDED. Having regard to the benefits the commissioners recommended that the Government should grant a subsidy of £201,041 towards the cost of the operations, the subsidy to be spread over the construction period of five years, and be payable as required for the proposed operations, pro rata, with the other contributions referred to above. The commissioners further considered that in the event of the Government subsidising the cost of the works to that exent, it should not be called upon at any figure time to pay any maintenance charges or any compensation for flood damage. Further, they recommended that, in the event of the subsidy, a river trust should be constituted for the Mana-watu-Oroua River district, with a subdivision representation of commissioners, corresponding to that of the present subdivision members, and two Government commissioners (one of whom should be . chairman of the trust), appointed similarly and with similar powers to given to the Waimakariri Government commissioners, under the Waimakariri River Improvement Act, 1922. The enactment of special legislation to cover the recommendations that are adopted is suggested. LOCAL BODIES’ PART. The commissioners also dealt at considerable length with the benefits

which would accrue to the borough councils, county councils, and drainage boards in the district from the scheme. The following contributions towards the scheme, it was recommended, should be respectively apportioned to’.the borough councils: — Palmerston North Borough Council, £10,000.Foxton Borough Council, £IOOO. Shannon Borough Council, £9OO. Levin Borough Council, £6OO. The recommended county council apportionments were: — Kairanga County Council, £2064. Horowlienua County Council, £5844. Manawatu County Council, £9612. Concerning the drainage boards the following apportionments were suggested : £

Sluggish River Drainage Board 2,503 Moutoa Drainage Board 2,711 Makerua Drainage Board ... 18,416 Buckley Drainage Board (as existing) ... 283 Manawatu Drainage Board ... 5,8/1 Finally,, the commissioners determined whether any protection works carried out by tlio Makerua Drainage Board within the district of the Mana-watu-Oroua River Board were likely to be required for the efficient carrying out of the River Board’s operations, and whether the board should bear a proportion of the costs. It was recommended that the River Board grant to the lands within the district of the Makerua Drainage Board a consideration commensurate with the sum of £71,975. That consideration the commissioners recommended should be granted as follows: Makerua Drainage Board’s apportionment of cost of proposed works, £18,416; balance (to be paid by the River Board to the Makerua Drainage Board in cash or as cash equivalent, or to be allowed by the River Board in the River Board rating from the lands in the Makerua Drainage Board’s area), £53,559.