DRAINAGE CONTROL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 123, 26 May 1932, Page 10

DRAINAGE CONTROL.

AUCKLAND BOARD'S WORK. ESTIMATES AND ASSESSMENTS REASON FOR INCREASES. The estimates for the current year, together with the assessments to be levied on contributing local bodies within its area, were presented and adopted at the quarterly meeting of the j Auckland and Suburban Drainage ! Board, presided over by the Mayor, Mr. G. W. Hutchison. The assessments totalled £41,095, which represents an increase of £3222 on the amount assessed hist year. The increases are due to the necessity for providing a sum of £4500 required for charges in connection with the redemption of loan No. 2 of £100,000, maturing in November next. The engineer-secretary, Mr. 11. 11. Watkins, in his report, said tho ratable capital values of the constituent districts as at March 31, 1931, on which the assements for the current year must be based, were as under: — £ Aiickliinrl City 47,558,51S .Mount Kilon Koroush iViSj.OSO .Mount Albert Borough 5,373,740 Newmarket Boroujjli 1 ,ii:'. 7,!):;.-> Out! TrPf Hill Borough 2,."ir,!),5.5.S Mount ItOßkill Komi District.. -1i!7,-)70 Tola! £03,102,640 Assessments. The contributions assessed and collected for the year ending March 31, 1932, and tho contributions payabls for the current year, as calculated in tonne of section 49 of the said Act, are shown in (he table hurcunder, the differences in the amounts assessed upon the contributing authorities for each year being also shown: — Authority. 1031-02. m::2-:i.T. Increase. Ancklnnrl £28,801/0/7 £31,304/0/0 £2,503/0/2 Mt. Kden 8421/17/u 3.080/10/7 264/19/2 Mr.Albert a.aOS/14/2 3,547/0/3 2r,:\/V2/l Xowm'kct 3,00-1/0/0 I.OSI/4/S 77/3/11 Onfi Tree II ill I,r.SS/n/7 I.COG/8/S 3 OS/S/1 Mt. itoßklll 274/3/3 238/15/8 14/12/5 Totals £38,472/10/0 £II,GOI/IS/7 £3,222/1/10 Work for Unemployed. Mr. W. V. Stilwcll, Mayor of Mount Albert, said there were some works which could be carried out and which would absorb a considerable number of men under No. 5 scheme, which was— Mr. E. J. Phelan: Unpopular. Mr. Stihvell: Probably it is, but I would point out that our work is petering out, and our finances getting worse. I would suggest that a sum of £2000 be placed on the estimates for the provision of supervision of work under the No. 5 scheme. Mr. Stihvell added that provision had already been made for a drain through a culvert in Oakley Creek. About 400 men could be employed working on Oakley Creek, and a further 200 in the Domain drain. Oakley Creek required | cleaning from Richardson Road to the Mental Hospital, and this work was within the province of the board, as many local bodies were finding it necessary to reduce expenditure in employing relief workers. Mr. Hutchison said the board might apply any savings made on No. 0 scheme work if the Labour Department would provide the men, but ho did not think it advisable to provide £2000 by adding to the estimates, and thus increasing expenditure. The board would be able to find about £GOO from savings, which could be used as a first instalment for such work. As further sums became available, they could be used for such work. After further discussion on the assessments, tho estimates were adopted. It was decided that the board use every endeavour to undertake a certain amount of No. 5 scheme work, using amounts saved. It waa then moved by Mr. I. J. Goldstinc, Mayor of One Tree Hill, that in the event of the Loans Board agreeing to the sum of £4500 for loan expenses being included in the redemption loan, the sum thus saved bo remitted to local authorities, when the payment of the second instalment of the levy was made. An amendment by Mr. T. Bloodworth, that the board have the option of using the whole or part of tho £4500 in providing supervision for work under 2STo. 5 scheme, was adopted. Tho matter of arranging for the employment of relief workers was left in tho hands of tho works committee, with power to act.