PUBLIC WORKS LAW

Evening Star, Issue 18336, 25 July 1923, Page 5

PUBLIC WORKS LAW

ROADS AND ELECTRIC DEVELOPMENT, [From Oua Parlxamentart Reporter.] - WELLINGTON, July 24. An amendment of the Public Worka Act was introduced in the House of Representatives under the charge of ijie Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister of Public Works. It contains a number of clauses of machinery character, which will facilitate the operation of the principal Act. There are some features applying to electrical development. It is provided that all "holders of licenses to develop hydro-electric power shall, not later than Juno 30 in each year, submit to the Minister a return showing the power developed, the financial results, and any other information required by the regulations to be issued governing this section. The Minister is authorised to grant permits for small -water-power installations which do not generate more than 25 horse-power, and the licensee is to be prohibited from selling any of the power so generated. The Minister is given general’ power to cancel or vary licenses to utilise water power or to erect electric lines, whether these licensers were_ issued lie fore or after the passing of this Bill. Where the Public Works Department is operating a section of railway,-not taken over by the Railways! Department, a clause in the Bill empowers the department to gazette a scale of charges for the use of the railway, or for dues payable by vessels using wharves constructed for the Railway Department but not token over hy that department. The Minister will also have the powers exercisable by the Minister of Railways in collecting unpaid charges on goods or in respect to goods the owners of which are not known. The Hon. J. G. 'Coates, Minister of Public Works, said that the most import ant clause was that dealing with the taking of a road.. Quite a lot of time was lost in having to advertise, give notice, and got agreements Tsygrrod, and when there wore absentees it was often months before a road could bo legalised. During the winter months it had been necessary to find work for men, and difficulty bad been experienced in getting deviations and negotiating roads passing through certain properties. In the case of a railway there was not the same difficulty. The centre line was simply laid out, a proclamation, issued, and compensation was fixed afterwards. That was what the Bill proposed in connection with reading.

Mr Wilford (Leader of the Opposition) t Does it apply to any particular road? Mr Coates; No; it is general. The point is whether local authorities are to have this power to enable them to take a road under the same system as a railway. Mr Wilford; It is not for a particular road outside Epsom? Mr Coates; No. I will bo quite honest with the House, I can think of only two cases, not in Auckland. The Minister also referred to another clause, in the Bill making provision for private licenses for the development of electricity by water power. At present, he said, a man could put in a plant of less than 45-h.p., and when he got a license he thought lie should be excluded from a, rating area. The Bill made it clear that all persons with 'such licenses would be chargeable as if such persons had no supply of their own.

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