CATCHMENT BOARDS: ALLEGED BREACH OF UNDERTAKING

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 November 1947, Page 3

CATCHMENT BOARDS: ALLEGED BREACH OF UNDERTAKING

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 13. A clause in the Finance Bill dealing with catchment board rating was withdrawn in the House of Representatives last evening by the. Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser), pending an investigation of Opposition complaints that the clause was a breach of an undertaking. He said that if it was found that no undertaking had been given which would be breached by the clause it would be reinstated when the Bill went before the Legislative Council The clause provides that catchment boards may 'levy a uniform works rate and that the works rate, together with the administrative rate authorised under the Act shall not exceed ? £ d ir the, £ on capital value. Mr C. G. Harker (Opposition, Hawke’s Bay) said the, clause involved a breach of the principle of the original Act, which fixed the administrative rate maximum at i of a penny. Some boards had actually

found 1.32 of a penny sufficient for aaministrative purposes. Mr J. A. Roy (Opposition, Clutha) and others claimed that an aSsUi-ande had been given by the Minister of Works (Mr R. Semple) or by departmental officers that id would be the maximum catchment board rate introduced on a uniform basis. Mr Fraser said it seemed an extra--ordinary assurance to have been given. Unfortunately the Minister of Works was ill at present but, if it could’ be established that such an undertaking had been given, then the clause would be withdrawn.