HUTT RIVER BOARD

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 64, 17 March 1933, Page 14

HUTT RIVER BOARD

'.'.The- fortnightly. nr:eting of the Hutt River Board was- held yesterday. Mr. I". J. Jones presided, and there were present -Messrs.- J. Mitchell, J.-Brassel, W. T. Strand, and;M. J. Hodgins.

' The secretary reported that immediately "teams were secured the work of raisio^ tne:'stopbanks, as agreed to at the last raeetrng, could be commenced.

I The chairman asked the meeting to confirm an emergency action he had taken in arranging a special royalty rate to a company, which was tendering for a large contract/ •. \,

~Mr. 'Brassel said that while lie was on the aboard- he desired -to be consulted on all matters before any decision was made. In this case h^ moved that the action of the chairman be confirmed.1

• The motion was carried, Mr. Strand remarking that there were occasions' on "which it was imperative that the chairman should act and afterwards obtain confirmation of his action. The board must have confidence in its chairman, or ask him to resign.

i A. discussion .took place on the question'of popularising- the use 'Of' river shingle. ■ •

: Mr. Mitchell moved, and it was hsreed, that the present, minimum rate royalty be abolished on all underwater plants, and that a straightout royalty of 3d a yard be .charged; the new arrangement to be iv force for twelve months.- The royalty on above-water removals was reduced, from Is 3d' to Is. The rates were fixed, plus sales tax. '. , •

■ A report from the secretary showed that shingle . royalty revenue had decreased from £1348 in 1931-32 to £439''in 1932-33.

An offer of Clendon Bros; to sell an acre of land to the^board was declined. /

The tender .of Mr. .J. Braeder for the lease of a piece of land at Taita at £15 a year was accepted.. . ... ; The secretary reported that he had replied to definite -complaints! made by the Moera Ratepayers' Association in regard to the alleged . incorrectnes.s of the River Board election roll. .Two of'the cases related to the wrojg spelling. of surnames, and dne to a wrong initial of a name. In all these cases rate demands had been accepted by-the persons concerned over a period of three years, and no complaint had been made that the names were incorrect. The names, as given on the roll, ■were.- supplied to the board by the Land Transfer Office, and as rate demands were accepted, the board had no reason' to believe that .the names were 'incorrect. When the correct names'were given- to the returning officer on polling day no such names could, be found on the roll. The secretary also explained to the association that where a property was held jointly ' the ■ first name on the roll was granted the .vote. '••■■'.

_ Mr. Brassel drew the. attention of the board to an alleged dangerous bridge from' White's Line to "Gear Island.

- The engineer reported -that the bridge was a responsibility of the Public Works Department.

The chairman volunteered to investigate the matter. ■ . 7- .

Mr Strand suggested as a relief work the widening of the eastern stopbank from the Hutt Bridge to the Railway Bridge, to a width of 20ft for the purpose of mak-ing-a carriageway. A rough" estimate of '£u C W? s °et" ween £5000 and £6000. ; The chairman promised to bring the Matter before the committee recently set up-in Wellington. ;Mr. Strand also suggested that where a relief work was .purely a local matter the local body or bodies might, as an inducement to the Unemployment Board to carry it out, offer to subsidise the works to the extent of 15 per cent or 20 per cent. iw •waii* eL wlU ako be brou§ht before the -Wellington committee.