THAMES VALLEY DRAINAGE

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19880, 8 May 1936, Page 10

THAMES VALLEY DRAINAGE

MEETING OF BOARD. The May meeting: of the Thames Valley Drainage Board was held to-day, Mr F. E. Hugrhes presiding:. Also present were Messrs D. F. Watson, A. J. Luxton, H. Wagstaff, M. A. Carter, W. Hallett, W. T. Dale, J. Hedley, W. W. Dunn and J. P. Jensen. Votes of condolence were passed to the relatives or the late Mr W. H. Emett and Mrs Shandley, members standing in silence Loans Conversion. Correspondence was received from the Hon. W. E. Parry, Minister or Internal Affairs, stating that the question or promoting a Local Bill was a matter Tor the board. The Government would not place any obstacle in the way, but he could not oner any expression of opinion as to whether or not the board should proceed* with a Local Bill. There was £48,500.000 worth or convertible debts of local bodies, and or these £46,500,000 worth had been converted or dealt wiih by way of repayment or renewal loans. There was still £2,000,C00 worth of debts which had not been converted. Either the expenses did not warrant such action, or there wore other factors which rendered conversion unnecessary or undesirable under present conditions. Waitoa River Clearing. The Hon. Tt. Semple, Minister of Public Works, wrote relative to the board being willing to conti-ibute £I6OO towards the cost or clearing willows rrom the Waitoa River and stating that in the interval that has elapsed since the original offer was made to the board (October 25, 1935), and the Tact that the availability of the unemployment funds as a contribution towards the cost of this work has undergone a substantial change, and having in view the. proposed increase of the basic wage, with the suggestion that the work be extended, he considered it better that the offer originally made be regarded as suspended or withdrawn until such time as the estimate for the work, and the possibility of finding finance can be Turtber investigated. Recognising that the work is or an urgent nature members were or the opinion that the matter should be kept before the Department with a view to its being carried out in due course. Alteration of Boundaries. The Minister or Internal Affairs Torwarded the result of the drainage commission’s recommendations in the matter or the Board’s petition ror the inclusion or certain areas at Manawaru and Te Aroha West as follow’s: (a) That most or the area designated in Part 1 be not included in the district. (b) That the remainder or the area designated, viz.. Part 2. 3 and 4 should be included therein. (c) That an additional small area to those prayed for by tho Board, be included in the district. (d) That a certain area in the schedule be made liable lor certain rates. The Department proposed to adopt the recommendations A, b and D. In the matter or C there was no power to deal with any area other than than that asked for in the petition. The Department wished to know at what date the board wished the inclusions in its district to take effect, and it was decided to reply that they could apply from April in order to be included j n the present financial year.