AVERTING EROSION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 49, 16 February 1945, Page 5

AVERTING EROSION

CONTROL AUTHORITY TO BE CONSTITUTED

FORMATION OF CATCHMENT

DISTRICT

BAY OF PLENTY AREA

Intense interest was evinced by Councillors at the* meeting of the Whakatane Borougli Council when a lengthy letter was received from the Soil Conservation- and' Rivers Control Council regarding the formation of a Bay of Plenty Catchment District which would control the water sheds of the WaioekaWhakatane and Tara. wera rivt'rs. The suggestion, which is not a new one in these parts and has been expected since the formation of the Control Council met with popular endorsement by speakers whg stated that whilst they realised would bfc". increased the problem of erosion was' a national one which had to be faced and energetically controlled.

Sketching the area to be covered by the proposed catchment district I the letter stated that it was hoped to go as far west as Matata and as far East as Opotiki. The whole of the watershed area of the rivers mentioned and their tributaries would be included from the mountain tops to the sea. The suggestion was that the catchment board should be composed of twelve members including the Opotiki and Waikohu Counties (2 members) Whakatane, Rotorua and Taupo Counties (3 members) Opotiki Borough and Whakatane Borough (1 member each) plus five Government nominees'. All the above would be elected by the ratepayers whilst the Government nominees would be appointed from the P.W.D., Department of Agriculture, Lands and Survey, of Scientific and Industrial Research and the Forestry Department. The duties of the Board would be to prevent the recurrance of and damage of floods the controlled destruction 5 of deer and all other works ealcu. lated to offset erosion. It would be financed from rating and projects would be subsidised from State funds.

War conditions it was realised would hamper the normal operations of the Board but nevertheless it was hoped to lose no time in making for its constitution and thus stocktaking over the whole of the area. Already six catchment boards had been created and were operating in the Dominion. These boards had tackled the problem of erosion and river control witli the greatest enthusiasm and it was hoped that there would lie no difficulties placed in the way of the formation of the Bay of Plenty Board where floods were becoming almost an annual menace. Under the same heading the Whakatane County Council wrote intimating that the Soil and Conservation Council representatives would be visiting Whakatane on Wednesday 28th inst. at 1.30 P-m. s and delegates from the Borough were invited to attend. "The question which we have to face is what is going to be the rate upon the Borough," said the Mayor, Mr B. S. Barry, in discussing the letter. "We have very few erosion problems in the Borough but we do admit that they concern u& when they occur in the district. I think that undoubtedly the board w T ill be formed." Cr Shapley said the problem was. an urgent one and there was no question about the. Council giving it the fullest support. Cr Canning: This is a very important thing. We who have been here for some years know that the banks of the Whakatane from the river to the sea are being steadily washed away. Cr Shapley: 1 agree with the principle but I would hate to see our rates spent on a scheme a hundred miles from here. The Mayor: That is quite likely to happen. Cr Canning: 1 don't know what the farmers will do. They have squealed about the hospital rate. This new one won't please them any better.

The Town Clerk intimated that if the rate were levied it would probably be a blanket one based upon the classification of the lands concerned and in accordance with the benefits derived. .

Cr Warren considered that the question of erosion was not merely national but world wide and should be seriovisly taken to heart by all people. In New Zealand it was usually caused by fast-running water but. in other countries the cause was wind and dust storms. It should

be grappled with by all the forces at the. covin try's command. "I don't think Ave have any alternative, " said Cr Spring. "It is something which the nation must tackle and 1 think we will be dictated to as to what we should do whether we like it or not. It is quite obvious that the catchment board will be formed and we should realise that we are going to be a party to it." The Council decided that in answer to the invitation to attend the conference all Councillors who could conveniently do so should make a point of being present.