DRAINAGE BILL

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24445, 20 December 1944, Page 4

DRAINAGE BILL

♦ COMMENTS DENIED BY BOARD’S CHAIRMAN EFFECT ON AMALGAMATION EXPLAINED A denial of statements by the De-puty-Mayor (Mr M. E. Lyons), which arose over representations to the Parliamentary Bills Committee about the Christchurch District Drainage Board Amendment Bill, was made by the chairman of the Christchurch Drainage Board (Mr H. G. Livingstone) last evening, after a discussion in committ66« Mr Livingstone said that the committee was not unanimous that the board should be abolished at the earliest opportunity. Mr Lyons had commented on the “shameful neglect" of New Brighton. Mr Livingstone added. Representatives of the City Council and the board met in conference in December, 1941, arid reported that “it was.the unanimous decision of the conference that In View of the war situation and the consequent difficulty of procuring machin-: ery, etc., the time was not opportune.’ The members were, however, of the opinion that the detailed preparation of the scheme should proceed. The scheme had been prepared and the costs announced. The work would proceed when conditions permitted. Mr Livingstone said that for more than 30 years city councillors had held seats on the board, and there had been complete agreement on policy matters. Mr Lyons, he said, stated before the committee that the board was “suspect.” “insincere,” and “lacking honesty of purpose." This deplorable misrepresentation had been effectively challenged, and Parliament had given unanimous approval to the bill. “Discussion of public problems should be carried out on a better basis than that which had been evidenced in this connexion,” said Mr Livingstone, “and on your behalf I hope that the City Council will revert to . its former goodwill state. The full co-operation of the Drainage Board is assured.” To a question by Mr W. P. Glue. Mr Livingstone said that if a borough such as Sumner joined the city now that the bill was passed, it need not come into any particularly heavily-rated area. It could have its own rate accounts and its owtv scheme. It could get the benefit of the office, administrative. and engineering services of the board. Its own scheme could be taken over and maintained, hr which case it would pay its own maintenance rates. It could have its own representative on the board, and be added to the board as a new sub-district, paying a proportion of overhead charged for engineering and administration services. On Mr Glue’s motion, the board agreed to invite the Sumner Borough Council to discuss problems with the board’s representatives.