Board member walks out

Press, 27 November 1980, Page 22

Board member walks out

A member of the Christchurch Drainage Board walked out of a board meeting on Tuesday evening after a series of clashes between Labour and Citizens’ Association representatives. “I have had enough of this meeting,” said Mr J. F. Davidson, as he packed his bag to leave, a little more than an hour after the meeting had started. Discussion during the first part of the meeting was interrupted by interjections, arguments, and points of order. During discussion on the proposed Woolston Cut project, Mr H. W. Thompson said the project had long been delayed because there were two “doubting Thomases” — two Labour members of the board. -

A new Labour member. Mr J. G. Freeman, said that he was tisturbed to hear such comments.

“I am sure my Labour colleagues would agree that we want to make Christchurch a better city to live in,” he said. “That’s news to me,” said Mr M. R. Carter, who recently stood down after 24 years as chairman of the board. After Mr Davidson left the meeting, Mr R. S. Leach said he found the behaviour of some members of the board “disgusting." Mr Freeman said he was astounded at the childishness of some of the comments.

Mr R. A. Bamford said he was sad that Mr Davidson had left but that objections were a part and parcel of meetings today. If people could not stand that, they should not stand for the board.

Mr Thompson said that

Mr Davidson's remark “that somebody else’s comment was ‘twaddle’ was over the edge as well.” Later, Mr Bamford objected to a remark by Mr M. J. Dobson that Mr Davidson had been “forced” to leave the meeting. When asked by the chairman, Mr J. de C. Hanafin, to withdraw the remark. Mr Dobson refused and said he would rather leave the meeting. However, Mr Hanafin did not order him to withdraw the comment. At the end of the meeting, Mr Hanafin said that future meetings of the board would be controlled more sternly. Sewerage Mr Davidson said the board had to be careful about a proposal by the Paparua County Council, for sewage disposal in the Kennedys Bush area. He said he was perturbed to read about the problems caused by septic tanks in Paparua County. A meeting of the County Council, recently heard that a survey of 419 properties in the Kennedys Bush-Tai Tapu area showed a failure rate of 62.6 per cent. The board had been approached some time ago to connect areas in Templeton and Prebbleton to the main trunk sewer in Sparks Road. It had been discouraged because of the cost.

However, Mr Davidson said he was worried that residents could to it themselves. If that happened there could be difficulties in the future because the scheme might not be constructed . to board standards. The scheme would probably eventualy come under the board’s jurisdiction. There could also be

problems with effluent with a higher septic content going to the treatment plant. Mr Hanafin said the board would be able to set standards for the type of effluent it would accept into any part of its system. The meeting agreed to the setting up of a subcommittee to consider the proposal and to hold discussions with the Paparua County Council. Legal aid Mr Davidson said that a publicity booklet being propared by local authorities to provide more information to the public should include information on legal aid. He said many people knew about legal aid but did not realise it was available for cases when they were in conflict with a local authority. Many people dropped cases because they could not afford to take them further. But local authorities had unlimited power to carry on with a case. “Far too often, people have the problem that when they take an action against the board, they are in effect contributing to their own prosecution by way of rates, and they have to pay legal expenses to put their own case before the courts,” he said. “It may' be quite valid, but I find it objectionable.” Slighted Mr Hanafin told the meeting that the board had again been “slighted” by the Christchurch City Council , because none of the board members had been invited to the official opening of the new Civic Offices.