CENTRAL CONTROL

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 780, 28 September 1929, Page 8

CENTRAL CONTROL

SUGGESTION FOR NORTH SHORE POWERS OF WATER BOARD One board in the boroughs of Devonport, Takapuna, Northoote and Birkenhead to control water supply, transport, drainage and refuse collection, was advocated at a meeting yesterday afternoon of the North Shore Water Board. A FTER a discussion the suggestion to widen the powers of the Water Board to give it control of the major services at the Shore was referred to members to place before the four councils for consideration. Mr. J. W. Williamson, Mayor of Takapuna, raised the question of adding drainage to the activities of the board. He considered immediate action should be taken to have the board's constitution altered accordingly. “Your remark brings us to what 1 have always advocated —one board to control water supply, drainage, transport and refuse collection,” the chairman of the board, Mr. E. Aldridge, Mayor of Devonport, said to Mr. Williamson. “Drainage, at least, is likely to become a question of increasing importance on the North Shore.” “The obvious way out of controlling the services is not to widen the powers of the board, but to amalgamate the four boroughs,” said Mr. A. E. Greenslade, Mayor of Northoote. Mr. J. E. McPhail, Mayor of Birkenhead, did not think there would be a chance to gain amalgamation. It would, however, be possible to widen the board's powers. Mr. Greenslade mentioned that the transport question would affect a larger area than that under the jurisdiction of the board.