PUBLIC WORKS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 212, 26 November 1927, Page 5

PUBLIC WORKS

AMENDMENTS TO LAW SEVERAL MACHINERY CLAUSES (THE SUN'd Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. A Public Works Amendment Bill of eleven clauses was introduced in the House to-night. The second clause makes no alteration in the existing law, but sets out more clearly the procedure in serving claims for compensation. Under the principal Act of 190 S land taken for a public work and afterwards not required for such purposes may be sold. An amendment is now j:>roposed to allow of the selling of such land on the deferred payment system, the payments extending over a period of not more than live years. It is proposed to amend section 109 of the Act by omitting therefrom reference to the apportionment of the cost of the construction of a road or street. The amendment is made for the purpose of dealing separately with the apportionment of the cost of construction, which is dealt with in the next clause, which makes it apply only in cases where the road or proposed road is largely used, or likely to be- used, by traffic from two or more districts. A clause has been framed with a view to the protection of the rights of the Crown and local authorities in respect of telephone wires, electric wires, etc., placed under roads or streets, in cases where such rights might be interfered with by allowing private persons to put petrol storage tanks under such roads or streets. The law at present places a restriction upon the transfer of all lands subject to irrigation agreements, the object being to ensure the payment of all fees. The restriction is thought to be too wide and will be removed by a proposed amendment, except in cases where default is made in the payment of fees under irrigation agreements.