COURTESY SEATS FOR OTHER POWER BOARDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 213, 28 November 1927, Page 13

COURTESY SEATS FOR OTHER POWER BOARDS

WAITEMATA'S INVITATION TO ITS NEIGHBOURS ()NE member from the Auckland Power Board and one from the Franklin Power Board will, as the result of a discussion at the Waitemata Board meeting this morning, be invited to tenant courtesy seats at the latter's fortnightly meeting. Mr. G. Trevithick formally moved a resolution, brought up at last meeting, that the Power Boards Act be so amended as to increase the existing number of members on each board by two and that these two new memberwho would be nominees of neighbouring boards, should have a right of full discussion, but no voting power. The purpose of the resolution was to link the various power boards together to the end that a spirit of common aspiration and co-operation should be engendered. “I don't see any great objection to it now,” said the chairman, Mr. J. W. Hayden. “I like the idea in its broad sense, but I don’t think we have a ghost of a chance of making it compulsory.” POOLING WISDOM Mr. Trevithick said that he would like to see. the same idea extended to the city councils, which should have seats for representative mayors of neighbouring boroughs. The fault of conferences was that one had to wait until the conference to get information which under his scheme would be available at board meetings.. “This seed planted will sprout in time and on a- young, virile, strong board like this we can make new suggestions which older boards will not make.” Mr. Hayden reiterated his objection to the proposal to have the neighbour members its members and not as visitors, but Mr. Trevithick wanted his proposal taken that they should attend or send apologies. DEMOCRATIC OBJECTION Mr. IT. E. Greenslade saw no necessity for the resolution at all. He objected on democratic grounds. A board was constituted on a direct vote of the ratepayers of the area and any departure from that principle would be dangerous. The resolution, said Mr. Hennings, should go to the Power Boards’ Conference. He foresaw that perhaps the boards would get less information on the internal affairs of others than Mr. Trevithick expected. Engineers would do more good by consulting together. But the resolution, he admitted, had a great educative value and on the suggestion of another member he agreed that the essence of it should be referred to the executive of the Power Boards’ Conference. Mr. W. T. Layton seconded Mr. Kennings’s amendment and Mr. Trevithick accepted it as the motion. If the Plan were turned down, said Mr. Hennings, he would ask Mr. Trevithick to move that two more seats be placed round the table for members of any power board that cared to tenant them. Mr. H. A. Robertson’s opinion was that the scheme was ridiculous anil shouldn’t even be sent on to the power boards’ executive, for it would make the board look ridiculous. He moved that it be adjourned sine die. However, on Mr. E. G. Skeates’s suggestion it was decided to write to the Auckland Power Board and to the Franklin Power Board and to invite each to send a. member to the meetings of the board.