GREY POWER BOARD.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18682, 4 May 1926, Page 10

GREY POWER BOARD.

MR J. O'BRIEN CRITICISES MEMBERS. (SPECIAL TO ''THE TRESS.") GREYMOUTH, March 3. Proceedings . at the Grey Power Board's meeting took a lively turn this evening, when Mr J. O'Brien accused tho Board of misleading certain members and the general public in matters relating to the Board's finances. Mr O'Brien said that the Engineer stated in May last that the money borrowed, viz., £BO,OOO would be sufficient to carry out the work outlined. At a later meeting in November last the Engineer reported that the total cost of the works in hand would be £73,447 14s lOd, and he asked that provision be made for another sum of £10,610 for certain works. In April this year permission was asked to raise another £BO,OOO. The expenditure for April of this vear just about cleaned up the £BO,OOO borrowed, said Mr O'Brien, and a great deal of the work members thought would be done with tlio money remained to be done. Worse than all, they had to face the possibilities of another loan, and from what he knew of the people and the way they had been fooled by a multitude of contradictory reports and speeches, the Board would not get authority from them to borrow an additional two "bob." A remark at this stage from the chairman drew from Mr O'Brien the retort: "I don't want to descend to personalities, or I can sling them about just as well as the chairman." Continuing, Mr O'Brien said the system in vogue regarding the Board's employees was that if they were seen speaking to certain members of the Board they were dismissed. The Board had sprung another loan of £BO,OOO without the knowledge of the members, and if tho members were not careful, said Mr O'Brien, they would be left with a legacy similar to the wooden lcerbing from a certain Greymouth Borough • Council.

After a lapse of some minutes the atmosphere became calmer, and Mr O'Brien gave notice to move at the next meeting of the Board:' (1) That a works committee of three be set up to inspect all works in hand at least once a month, and report on same to each monthly meeting of the Board. That a finance committee consisting of five members be set up to go into the financial position of tho Board, and report t» the monthly meetings. (3) That in future no contracts be entered into or goods or any other material ordered involving an expenditure of more than £5 without, the consent of the Board. Before the meeting; concluded the Engineer complained that he was getting nothing but criticism, and if matters did not change lie would be reluctantly compelled to resign.