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1908. NEW ZEALAND.

CHRISTCHURCH DRAINAGE BOARD (REPORT ON THE WORKING OF THE).

Return to an Order of the House of Representatives dated the 31st July, 1908. ' ■■.. Ordered, " That the report (dated 1907) of Mr. Commissioner Short on the dispute between the Ghristohureh City Council and other local authorities regarding the rating, expenditure, and proportional responsibility of such authorities under the Christchurch Drainage Board be laid before this House and be printed."—(Mr. Tannek.)

Department of Roads, Wellington, N.Z., 2nd July, 1907. To His Excellency the Right Honourable William Lee, Baron Plunket, Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, Governor and Com-mander-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Dominion of New Zealand, &c. . May it please Your Excellency,— I have the honour to submit for the information of Your Excellency the following report on the working of " The Christchurch District Drainage Act, 1875," and its amendments, pursuant to the Commission issued under the hand of Your Excellency, and dated the 7th January, 1907. The inquiry was commenced at Christchurch on Monday, the 10th, and was concluded on Saturday, the 15th June, 1907, the proceedings having lasted for six days continuously. Mr. T. W. Stringer, K.C., "appeared, with Mr. A. F. Wright, for the claimants or plaintiffs, who comprise the Heathcote, Avon, Riccarton, and Spreydon Road Boards, and the Woolston and New Brighton Borough Councils. Messrs. Wilding and Cowlishaw represented the City Council, and Mr. T. G. Russell represented the Christchurch Drainage Board. Mr. T. I. Joynt, K.C., also specially represented the Avon Road Board, and Mr. G. Harper specially appeared for the Riccarton Road Board. The inquiry arose out of certain indefinite complaints as to the working of " The Christchurch District Drainage Act, 1875," and its amendments, and the Commission was set up to investigate the matter. This being so, and with a view of ascertaining more particularly what the trouble really is, I communicated with all the local bodies whose districts lie either wholly or partially within the limits of the jurisdiction of the Drainage Board. I met them twice in conference, and it was then decided that those who

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