CATCHMENT DISTRICT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 74, 22 May 1945, Page 2

CATCHMENT DISTRICT

OPPOSED BY OPOTIKI COUNTY COUNCIL VIEWS At the monthly meeting of the Opotiki County Council, the question of formation of a special catchment. district was discussed when a letter from the Whakatane County Council on the subject was read. The Whakatane council had made representations to the. Minister ol Public Works that that council be a catchment board to administer the Whakatane area. It had in the past controlled erosion without overhead expense. The creation of a special board would mean the formation of another local body and that should be avoided, said the letter. Iho Minister of Public Works had replied to Whakatane that the suggestion could not be favourably considered. The Whakatane. council asked the Opotiki council to arrange a meeting with it to jointly press for the two councils to administer their own areas. The chairman said that. Whakatane had the greater problem. Cr Martin suggested that co-opera tion in the matter might involve Opotiki. Whakatane needed a'Government subsidy while Opotiki did *" '9 not. Cr Black said that the idea was for the two councils to oppose the formation of the special area. The chairman said that Whakatane wanted to do their own work and wanted Opotiki's support to gain that, objective. Cr W T ilson suggested that a special committee be appointed to go into the matter with Whakatane. Cr Hedley said that the delegates at the conference had got no definite answer as to whether the idea would be forced upon them or not. All the counties were against it except Whakatane. The chairman said that each body felt that they could do the Avork separately more cheaply and better. Cr Wilson's motion was seconded and carried, and it was decided to ask the Whakatane representatives to come to Opotiki to discuss the matter.