NEW BOARD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 227, 25 September 1935, Page 9

NEW BOARD.

DRAINAGE CONTROL.

ENGINEER'S PROPOSALS. MT. ALBERT IN SUPPORT. The opinion that the present representation on the Auckland and Suburban Drainage Board was disproportionate was expressed by Mr. R. Ferner, Mayor of Mount Albert, at last night's meeting of the Mount Albert Borough Council, in a lengthy report which he submitted dealing with the metropolitan drainage scheme proposed by Mr. H. H. Watkins, engineer-secretary to the Auckland and Suburban Drainage Board.

Mr. Ferner in his report said that the decision of the Drainage Board to have the proposals thoroughly tested was not to be taken as a want of confidence in the engineer-secretary, Mr. Watkins, whose researches into drainage matters whilst on a tour abroad, combined with his very high qualifications, gave great weight to liis admirable and lucid report. The population of the metropolitan area would be involved under the present proposals in annual recurring charges in respect of principal and interest on the huge sum of £1,350,000, or on the larger sum of £1,000,000, according as to which scheme is adopted; and the charges would be a burden on the community for at least 30 or 40 years. Hence the need for careful examination of the proposals.

The Mayor said that Mr. Watkins had recommended that the extended area be designated the Auckland Metropolitan Drainage District, and that an elective corporate authority be constituted under the name of the Auckland Metropolitan Drainage Board, with statutory powers to assume complete control of all the existing sewerage and stormwater drainage systems in the metropolitan area, including reticulation systems, and also construct, maintain and operate all future sewerage and stormwater drainage systems in the proposed drainage district.

"In my opinion the now board ought to be created and its constitution fixed at a very early stage," said Mr. Ferner. "The Mount Albert Borough Council has already expressed its view that a metropolitan drainage board as suggested in Mr. Watkins' report should be set up, and on the basis suggested in that report with adequate and proportionate representation of constituent local body areas on a population basis. With this recommendation I cordially agree. The feeling that a new board had been constituted with a satisfactory basis of representation would do much to reassure the outlying local authorities and in my opinion this aspect of the question should be pressed at the earliest possible stage."