WATER BOARD COSTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21263, 17 August 1932, Page 10

WATER BOARD COSTS

QUESTION OF LIABILITY

NORTHCOTE COUNCIL'S PART

The subject of liability in the legal costs incurred as a result of the Auckland Pro: vincial Water Board scheme was discussed last evening at the Northcote Borough Council, when Mr. S. Donaldson, Mayor of Newmarket, and Mr. F. S. Battley, a member of the Mount Eden Borough Council, attended.

Mr. Battley explained that those primarily concerned in the proposal were experiencing some difficulty in having a number of local authorities admit liability. "On the evidence in our possession Northcote unquestionably was concerned in the first Water Board Bill in Parliament," ho continued. "There is no proof that the district was involved in the second bill. Of the total fees for the proposal, Northcote's share is only about £2O. We are prepared to accept threequarters of that sum." Replying to a question, Mr. Battley said many local authorities had repudiated liability, but they had not pursued that attitude when confronted with the evidence of participancy. Mr. P. C. Cvoss: It appears that a council should be somewhat cautious about these local body conferences. Otherwise it will not know what liabilities can be incurred.

The 'Mayor, Mr. R. Martin, thought that Northcote was more interested in an engineer's report concerning the district's own supply. Occasions mentioned by Mr. Battley bearing on Northcote's participancy would be investigated. Nothing regarding the suggested liability could be promised at presont.