FIRM CONTROL

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 58, Issue 4125, 20 April 1949, Page 6

FIRM CONTROL

PAYMENT OF SUBSIDIES POLICY IN THE VALLEY INTERNAL DRAINAGE BOARDS “ I have looked into the matter of the procedure followed by internal drainage authorities in obtaining payment of subsidies from the Works Department, and consider the system is not satisfactory to the catchment board as it might be,” said Mr H. M. Corbett, the chairman of the Hauraki Catchment Board, in a report to a special meeting of the board held recently. “Where maintenance subsidies on communal drains are payable to internal local authorities, such authorities are required to forward a copy of their claim to the catchment board. Here no progress payments are made and little difficulty is experienced keeping track of matters. “ However, on the more important works although drainage authorities make application for approval of the subsidy through the board, they make their claims for payments or progress payments directly to the Minister of works. » “To the catchment board this arrangement is not entirely satisfactory for the board has no knowledge of what actual work the claim is being made upon. The board should be in .posession of this information if it is to supervise strictly the activities of the internal drainage authorities. Chairman’s Suggestion “ I suggest that the district engineer of the Works Department be approached with the request that he require all authorities to submit their claims for subsidy payment on river or land drainage works to the Works Department through the channel of the catchment board,” Mr Corbett continued. “ This would make the position of the board more satisfactory for the chief engineer would then be in possession of all information relating to the claims and a record could be kept of expenditure on all works, which would ‘be of inestimable value at a later date. Naturally this would entail additional work for the staff but I consider that beside being worthwhile, it is imperative if the board is going to do its job properly. “ At present all drainage authdistrict are required to make application for approval of a subsidy through the catchment board,” Mr Corbett concluded, “ and should the district engineer of the Works Department accede to the board’s request it would have a very firm control of the land drainage and river works being carried out in its district.”