1920.} 



Land Drainage. 



109E 



tion of a drainage board, to the board's final establishment. 

 The first stage is the making of a survey of the area concerned, 

 in order to settle the boundaries of the proposed district. 

 These boundaries are usually fixed at a fine approximately 

 8 ft. above the highest recorded flood level. The boundaries 

 are plotted on 6-in. Ordnance maps, and a draft Order is 

 prepared which provides (where necessary) for differential 

 rating, and for the representation on the board of the several 

 component parts of the area. The draft Order and the map 

 are discussed with the County Councils, existing drainage 

 authorities, and other persons or bodies interested. When 

 necessary, local conferences are held for this purpose. No 

 Order can be made affecting the area of an existing authority 

 without that authority's consent. The draft Order and map 

 are then deposited for public inspection for a month, during 

 which objections may be lodged with the Ministry of Agri- 

 culture. When the objections have been dealt with (a public 

 inquiry being held if necessary), the Order receives any 

 necessary revision, and is then sealed and again deposited for 

 public inspection for a month, during which period persons 

 having a prescribed interest may present memorials to the 

 Ministry of Agriculture praying that the Order shall not become 

 law without confirmation by Parliament. If no memorials be 

 presented, or only such as can be met by shght alterations, the 

 Order is confirmed by the Ministry and becomes law. Other- 

 wise, it becomes a Provisional Order requiring confirmation by 

 Parhament. 



At the end of 191 9 the Ministry had confirmed eight Orders 

 establishing drainage authorities or extending their areas, and 

 had in hand, at various stages, from the initial survey to the 

 final deposit, 39 others. The total area affected by all these 

 Orders (made or in course of preparation) is approximately 

 1,206,000 acres. 



The Ministry are also enabled by Part I. of the Act of 191 8 

 to extend the powers of drainage authorities constituted under 

 local Acts. The local Acts frequently imposed limits of rates 

 which make it impossible for the authority to carry on its work, 

 having regard to the ruling prices of material and labour. 

 But for this power to alter the local Acts it is probable that 

 several small drainage districts would have become derelict 

 during the past year. Ten Orders of this nature were con- 

 firmed in 1 91 9. 



The second part of the Act of 1918 confers two very useful 

 powers upon the Ministry. The first is the power to take over 



4 D 2 



