MATAU RIVER AND DRAINAGE BOARD.

Bruce Herald, Volume LV, Issue 64, 21 August 1919, Page 3

MATAU RIVER AND DRAINAGE BOARD.

A The monthly 'meeting of the 11 Mata.iv River anil Drainage Board '•;) was takl in the Athenaeum, Stir■v*r ling, on Thursday morning. There ,'■ ' were present: Messrs Jos. Smith : -.' (chairman.), P. McSkimniiug, jim., " * i\L Scolt, All Tosh, J. Ulark; 0. , i Aitchison,- Captain Kutherf ord, : and Mr Win. Koy (secretary):If';':" CORRESPONDENCE. p. : A letter was received from the KvMinister of Internal Affairs inti!s| mating that the. request for the If bowers of a drainage board; would H receive immediate attention: that ?yi vnth regard to classification and : :: preparation of the valuation rolls : i:A provision" had been made uudei" i: ; the Act for the hoard to appoint f f persons from time to time to ex- ■ J amino and classify- ratable propalso intimating that the ex- ; ,t penses incurred in the. election of i the board were payable by the • ;V board itself .—Received. SI The Under-Secretary, Depart■p: inent of Internal Affairs, also ;X Svrote acknowledging intimation of members elected to-the board, and stating that the result of the election had been published in the ' Gazette of July 10.—Received. The manager, Bank of New Zea- ' land, Balclutha, wrote acknowledging receipt of letter appointing the Bank of New Zealand ■bankers to the board, intimating willingness to act in that capacity and stating the amount of overdraft that would be allowed the board pending the adjustment ~ of a legal limit after March 31 next.—Received. •• The Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs, wrote forwarding for the board's consideration a draft copy of the ". Ordeivin-Coiiiicil, by which it was proposed to confer on the Matau River Board the powers of a \ drainage board as well.—The sec- • retary referred the attention of the* board to one of the provisions which stated that separate accounts shall be kept in respect of all drainage operations, and all moneys received in respect thereof shall be paid into a separate bank account. He had taken exception •.J;o..^lrat-provision, as he did not think it workable, and had written to. the Department on the subject. The secretary further stated .that he had. shown the draft to Mr Rutherford, and they had agreed that the other provisions were in accordance with those asked for— I*he letter was received 1 . On tlie motion of Messrs Clark and Scott it was resolved that the chairman and any one member of the board be authorised to sign cheques with the secretary of the board. » .- The secretary produced copies of the form of books in use by the Taieri Drainage Board and the 'Silverstreain Improvement Commission, aud suggested a form that would be applicable to the ''requirements of the Matau Board. —After discussion consideration .of the form of book best adapted /was left over until a start was .made with the classification of the land under the board. •'• The board discussed the mattei "of the. classification and valuation of the land, giving consideration to the lands within the district, their capital value, the position and, possible classification of the land, and any objections that might be raised. After consideration of the question of securing the .services of a .classifier and valuer, and an inquiry into the cost of such action, •it was eventually resolved, on the motion of Messrs Clark and Scott, that all the members of the board "constitute a commission to go round the district and classify the land Mr McSkimming suggested that the ratepayers in the district be .invited to meet the board as they .wentVon their rounds of the district,' lay their views' before the .board, and by stating their case 'assist the board in the Aiatter of classification. ■■';: v It was resolMed that the board meet atStirlihgon Friday, August 22, at y a.m.,. for the purpose of inspecting the rating areas of the district.- . ' " r , ■ Accounts amounting to £ll 2s '. were" passed for payment. ," •