HAURAKI DRAINAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17662, 24 December 1920, Page 6

HAURAKI DRAINAGE.

o ALLEGED EXTRAVAGANCE. J DEPAHTMENT CRITICISED. SETTLERS VOICE PROTEST. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] K.EEEPEHI. Thursday. For some considerable time there has been much dissatisfaction on the Hauraki Plains at the maner in which the Lands Department carries out its work of opening up the land and expending public money. At the request of the Kerepehi branch of the Farmers' Union a special meeting was called and held in the Kerepehi Hall last night. Several unions were represented, and a protracted discussion took place. It "was stated that a considerable amount of public money is spent in what is considered to be an extravagant way, and that there is no system of book-keeping by which individual costs are kept, but one work is made to pay for another— perhaps not authorised. It was alleged that the whole system of work is carried on in a most haphazard manlier and that the department Has become a bv-\vord on the plains. A resolution was passed authorising the secretary to arrange for a deputation to wait upon the Minister for Lands and demand a public inquiry into the extravagant way in which public money is spent; also, that representation be made to the Minister to form a Drainage Board to control the expenditure.