WATER SUPPLY CONTROL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21803, 18 May 1934, Page 11

WATER SUPPLY CONTROL

METROPOLITAN BOARD LOCAL BODY PROPOSAL REPRESENTATIONS TO CITY A proposal that a metropolitan water supply board should be set up to control the service for the Auckland area •was submitted on behalf o£ a number of suburban local bodies at a conference held in the Auckland City Council chamber last evening, when it was stated that the promotion of a local bill for presentation to the coining session of Parliament was under consideration. The conference had been called at the request of a number of these bodies with the object of making representations to the City Council. Invitations had been sent to local bodies in the area between Papakura and Henderson, including the North Shore boroughs, to appoint delegates and there was an attendance of about 50. The Mayor of Auckland, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, presided and said the members of the City Council were present to hear what the local bodies had to propose. Mr. R. Ferner, Mayor of Mount Albert, said he had been deputed bi the boroughs of Mount Albert, Mount Eden, Newmarket, New Lynn, Devonport and Otahuliu and the Town Board of Papatoetoe to present their viewpoint. They were vitally interested in the water supply and had considered the findings of the Select Committee of the House of Representatives, which had reported on the private bill before last session and had recommended that, as the present method of divided control -was unsatisfactory, the interests of the public would be best served by the setting up of a metropolitan water supply board with full power to* control the water supply in this area. Mr. Ferner said,these lcoal bodies had in mind the promotion at an early date of a local bill with the object of making the Select Committee's recommendation effective.

City's Views Sought These bodies were of the opinion that the ideal way of handling the water supply of Auckland and its suburb's would be to include the. whole metropolitan area tinder a water board and this board should take over on equitable' terms the various undertakings which now serve that area. They, therefore, wished to ascertain whether the City Council would co-operate with them or with a larger group of local bodies in promoting a bill to establish such a board.

Mr. Ferner said it would not help to discuss details at this stage or until the principle of a water board had been accepted. In the event of the City Council not being willing to co-operate, the local bodies felt they should be entitled to work out their own destiny, and they asked for an undertaking, in the event of the City Council not being willing to co-operate in the formation of a water board, that it would not oppose the local bodies' efforts to form their own board. Desire to Stand Alone The Mayor' of Takapuna, Mr. J. Guiniven, said his council had not discussed the matter, but his personal opinion was that a metropolitan water board was the effective and ultimate method of obtaining cheap water. The Mayor of One Tree Hill, Mr. I. J. Goldstine, said his council was in a different position from mosij others, in that it possessed a satisfactory water supply. He wanted to make it clear that they did not desire to take part in any controversy between the City Council and other local bodies and if it was decided t° form a board One Tree Hill asked to be left out. If thero was any move to include them they would "fight to the last ditch." If a local board were formed they would not oppose it but would stand out. They supplied water only to their own ratepayers and that alone entitled them to be left alone.

A similar stand was taken by the Mayor of Onehunga, Mr. E. Morton, and the chairman of the Manukau County Council, Mr. F. M. Waters, the latter remarking that it should not be necessary to include areas having their own supplies. The principle of the board was endorsed by representatives of Glen Eden and Papakura. Question of Terms

Mr. Hutchison said it would be very necessary to know the terms under which supplies would be taken over by the proposed board. Ho had expected that the benefits to bo derived from the formation of a board would have been set out and that they would have been shown how costs would be brought down. They would like to know what benefit city consumers would derive from the board. The proposal was not without alarm to the city, because of the large interests which might be prejudiced. After referring to the report of the Auckland Water Supply Commission, which was opposed to that of the Select Committee, Mr. Hutchison said that, for his part, he was quite willing to meet the local bodies and discuss the merits of their proposal and he suggested they should set up a committee for that piirpose. The City Council was willing to discuss water questions with local bodies interested, and supply details as to costs. If in the course of these inquiries it was found there was unfair treatment or that anomalies existed, he would see that they were remedied.

After remarking that meetings of that nature were productive of much good, as they enabled members of local bodies to exchange views, the chairman said the City Council would consider the representations and make known its views.