CATCHMENT BOARD SCHEME

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 63, 10 April 1945, Page 5

CATCHMENT BOARD SCHEME

PROPOSAL NOT FAVOURED COUNTY COUNCIL'S REACTION Following the recent conference with regard to the formation of a Catchment Board' area embracing the Bay of Plenty river catchments, the Whakatane County Council in accordance with the general decision has discussed and formulated its decision on the matter and has recommended to the Minister that it be set up as a controlling body to administer its individual drainage problems.

Discussing the question Cr jMcCreatly at last meeting said that it was strange that one Minister was all for consolidation whilst, others were apparently keen on the creation of new administrative bodies.

The chairman explained that one of the things which the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council was in favour of was the consolidation of the drainage areas in the Opotiki, Rotorua, Tc Puke and Tauranga Counties. All these, communities however were against the creation of a Catchment Board. The alternative was of course, that the Council take over the work of control and the ratepayers would have to foot the bill.

Cr Luxton: The big question 'is that in Whakatane we already have a large drainage area over which we have no control. If this drainage work could be brought under the new scheme, we might be interested.

Cr Hunter: What concerns us most, is that we are already paying heavy drainage rates, and now it looks, as though we are going to get a fresh lot whether we like it or not!

The. Chairman: I feel that after the findings of the Parliamentary Committee of Enquiry the Government will go pretty steady before foisting any new burdens on the ratepayers.

The following motion was then carried 'That this Council represent to the Hon. Minister of Works its considered opinion that tlfis Council should be constituted a Catchment Board to administer as a County Council, the Whakatane County area—that in support of this the Whakatane County Council submits that it has since its constitution i7nd from time to time, with Government grant assistance carried- out i«iver control works in the Whakatane County without additional overhead expense and in this Council's opinion this desirable state of affairs should continue and so in accord with the Local Government Parliamentary Committee's pol'icy, the creation of another local- body would be avoided —that this Council recognises to achieve this desirable objective an amendment to the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act 1941 would be necessary and respectfully asks the Hon. Minister of Works to sponsor the necessary amending legislation herein.

Discussing the motion s Cr Luxton asked how,, if the Council applied for the control of its own area, the harbour would be affected. The question of consolidation came largely into the matter and he contended that the control of the harbour —keeping the channels clear etc. was Vital to a river's control project.

Cr McCready: It won't be long before you can close up the harbour. Years ago you could see hundreds of acres of water there. Now it is all siltirig up and forming banks. The harbour will be useless —it is only a matter of time.