Readers Write . „.

Northern Advocate, 15 March 1948, Page 2

Readers Write . „.

There has been a lot said and done about the bus to the northern end of the town, and the stop has been reinstated, but what BUS STOP about the hospital

service? Are there no old people here? I would like to state that between Otaika Road and town there are eleven who, I know, •go down on pension day. No doubt there are many more. The drivers are most courteous and pull up right at the kerbing, but when we get to the terminus we have a dangerous crossing. It seems appalling that we can’t be taken into the town. —“PENSIONER.”

During the last few days I have been continually asked to explain two matters which appeared in your report of the last meeting of N.A. POWER the North AuckBOARD land Power Board. The first was a comment by Mr Appleton that “We have the solicitor’s assurance that the previous methods were legal.” The second was Mr Smith’s comment as follows: “I can’t understand what the Northern Advocate’ meant when it said that the board had put the cart before the horse.”

The following extracts from the solicitor’s opinion, which was asked for following a statement which I had made, “that it was illegal for the finance committee to make contracts and agreements,” will, I think, give the public and "Mr Smith the information they desire. (1) “It does not appear that there was any legal authority for the former practice of the board going into committee of the whole and then resuming in open ’meeting.” (2) “The former practice, under which the committee first met and passed certain resolutions which were later adopted by the board, was not, in my opinion, strictly in order. The board’s practice really amounted to putting the cart before the horse, as the committee in the first instance dealt with matters that had not come before the board.”

<3) Replying to the real question at issue ,the solicitor said: “There is one matter shown on the agenda which should not be included, namely, ‘Contracts and Agreements for Completion.’ This is a matter which, under Section 41 of the Act. must be performed by the board.”—J. A. S. MacKAY.