MANAWATU-OROUA RIVER BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4469, 24 June 1930, Page 2

MANAWATU-OROUA RIVER BOARD.

SPECIAL MEETING,

Important financial matters were discussed in detail at a special meeting of the Manawatu-Oroua River Board, held oa Saturday. Mr W. S. (Carter presided and there were present Messrs R. Law, C. IT. Spoils, B. G .Gower, IT. .1. T. Hume, 11. Barber, .J. Harrison and Mr Baldwin (Board solicitor). Mr. Baldwin reported oti negotiations he had had with the Wellington city solicitor in regard to a proposed loan of £950 lor the No. 1 area to the board by the Wellington City Sinking Fund Commissioners. Steps were to he taken to provide for a special ordel covering the raising of the loan. It was decided to write to the district engineer of the Public Winks Department asking that he expedite the matter of a subsidy in respect of work in No. 3 area of the hoard’s district, subject to the district engineer approving of the application.

Plans and other technical matters affecting flood protection schemes were also gone into.

The Government’s intimation that il eon lit nut at present grant a subsidy towards the cost of the lion i d’s genera l scheme as there were other matters of greater urgency requiring finance was read.

The chairman said he was not aware of a more urgent work than t lull of the board. The question at. present, was what: attitude the hoard could take. They certainly could not leave the matter where it. was and he suggested that members put on• their “thinking cups’’ between now and the next meeting, when the majler could he fully discussed. The hoard was unlucky, he said, in that cc'rtain things had happened the way they had done—llie (iovenniiciil deficit, the breakdown at the Arapurii hydro works, as instances. He could not. see that Hie - Government was helping the If it had granted the request, even if the subsidy was spread over a uniter by turning the. hoard down longer term, if would he helping the i-'iiintiy. The scheme would afford more revenue and also help to get over the difficulty of unemployment to some extent, and the cost in tin* Government would he less in this case than it was on many

.Tier unemployment schemes. He siioi l -sighted. If il had promised thought the Government had been the subsidy and the hoard had to wait two or three years for it, the board could surely find some means of going on with the wofik in the Public Works, was very conversant meantime. The former Minister of with tin* position ami was prepared to recommend that a subsidy of £100,009 he granted; -but the other difficulties 'in the Public Works Department schemes had not then been in existence.

The teller was held over until the next, meeting. Air Gower brought up the subject of certain settlers at Mi niton, doing protective work there. He

asked if authority had been granted by the board for this work; if not, they should have it.

Mr. Baldwin said the same thing aiose out of the River Board failing- to notify the jMou-toa Drainage Board when it was carrying out work in the Drainage Board’s area.

The chairman: In this ease it is the settlers themselves who are doing the work and 1 don’t think they are doing any harm.

Mr. Hume: Their doing the work is of no importance provided it conforms to the River Board’s plans. The authority was granted, subject to the work being approved of by the engineer. Notice is to be given to the Alarm wa tut County Council that the l ,,, ard intends In carry out work on job No. It, the cut at Stevens, Easton and Austin’s property, and the council is to t>o asked if it has any objection.