WHOSE LIABILITY?

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 67, 22 March 1929, Page 6

WHOSE LIABILITY?

POWER POLE REMOVALS

Tho much-discussed question of whether tho coat of shifting of poles whoso removal is made necessary by roadway, improvements is to be borne by the Power Board or by the roading authority was before the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board yesterday.

The Public Works Department applied for the removal by the board of two or threo power poles in the vicinity of the Taita Gorge to permit of widening operations and a short deviation. To this a reply was sent that the board would do the work at the expense of the Department. A letter was received'from the Main Highways Board stating that it would not pay for the removal of poles necessitated by road realignments, the responsibility in that direction lying with the power boards. The chairman of the Power Board (Mr. W. H. P. Barber) pointed out that this was a very big question, for there would be quite a lot of poles needing removal. Replying to a question from Mr. 13. Windley, Mr. Barber said that if the board were to refuso to shift poles, it would be responsible for any accident that might occur on account of that. It was decided to write to the Highways Board enclosing a legal opinion that the Power Board was not responsible for the cost of shifting polos, and, stating that tho board was not prepared to remove poles unless payment would be made.