ASSUME CONTROL?

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 83, 8 April 1933, Page 11

ASSUME CONTROL?

NORTH SHORE ;WATER.

BOARD'S RESOLUTION. TAKAPUNA OPPOSED. There was much discussion at a meeting of the North Shore Water Board yesterday afternoon, when Mr. E. H. Little moved that the board should assume control of the wholesale supply of water for the four North Shori boroughs. "This board has not done very much as a water board," said Mr. Little. "Individually the borough councils have done all they can, but it seems disjointed control. I think the control of the Shore water should be vested iii the Water Board, which should sell the water to the various boroughs. -I believe that is the best system." Mr. Little then moved: "That, in view of the present position at Lake Pupuke and proposals for supplementary supplies, this board is of opinion that the time has arrived for the board to adopt a policy of taking over at valuation the assets of the three boroughs operating pumping plants in the lake basin and assume control of the wholesale supply for the four North Shore boroughs." Mr. J. Guiniven, Mayor of Takapuna, opposed the resolution. "How are you going to get ahead ■if Birkenhead is

going ahead with a scheme of its own?" he asked.

Mr. H. P. W. Meikle, Mayor of Devonport, and chairman oif the board, supported the resolution. He said Devonport was quite prepared to leave the matter in the hands of an assessor. At the moment Takapuna and Devonport were carrying most of the charges.

. In answer to a question, Mr. Little said that if the resolution were passed it did not commit the board to anything. It was time the board showed "a bit of common sense." The question of the amalgamation of the four' North Shore boroughs did not eo ; 'ito it.

Mr. Guiniven: You are pi. to have a lot of opposition from Takapuna.

Mr. Little: We have had that already.

Mr. Guiniven: Takapuna will have to be forced into this thing. I move an amendment that the matter be referred to the first meeting of the new board. There was no seconder. "You'll fire the gun and hit nobody," remarked Mr. Guiniven.

The resolution was carried, Mr. Guiniven asking that his vote be recorded against the resolution on the ground that it was unjust to' Takapuna. .. ;'