POWER BOARDS.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 October 1922, Page 5

POWER BOARDS.

PARLIAMENT PASSES BILL. IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS. By Telegraph.— Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The House went into committee today on the Electric Power Boards Amendment Bill. At clause 8, Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) urged the Minister tq take power to sub-divide power districts to avoid friction in future. The Minister contended that ample power existed at present to extricate boards from any complications likely to arise. A new clause was added amending section 14 of the principal Act by repealing paragraph G and substituting a provision that no person shall be eligible for election to a power board who is concerned or interested (otherwise than as a member of an incorporated company in which there are more than twenty members, and of which he is not general manager) in anj r contract made by the board (other than a contract relating to land entered upon or taken, or proposed to be entered upon or taken, for electric works under authority of this Act) if the payment made or to be made by the board in respect o-f any such contract exceeds £5 in the case of a single contract or £lO altogether in any financial year in case of two or more contracts, except in special cases to be previously approved by the audit office. On the application of the board in any such special case the audit office may authorise the payment and receipt of such amount as it thinks fit, not exceeding in the aggregate £5O in any financial year in respect of any contract, or of two or more contracts. In almost similar terms provision was made for the retirement of a member of a board who contravenes these provisions.

Considerable discussion took place on a new clause authorising power boards to enter upon private lands for the purpose of constructing works. The Minister explained that the power asked for was only similar to that given by the Public Works Act, and the clause was agreed to. The Minister moved a new clause providing that a person may be appointed a member of a committee under a board, notwithstanding that he may not be a member of the board. Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition) objected to this power being given to a person who was not elected by the people. The clause was agreed to on the voices. Mr. J. Craigie (Timaru) protested against the provision in the original Act enabling a board to be established on a petition signed by 25 per cent, of the ratepayers. He moved an amendment providing that a petition must be signed by a majority of the ratepayers. The Minister explained that after the signatures of 25 per cent, of the ratepayers are obtained, the consent of the Governor-in-Council must still be obtained, so that there was ample safeguard. He therefore could not accept the amendment. He asked that the Bill be given twelve months’ trial. On a division the amendment was defeated by 44 votes to 14. The Bill was then reported with amendments. The amendments made in committee were agreed to, and the Bill was read a third time and passed.