CATCHMENT AREA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 82, 5 June 1946, Page 6

CATCHMENT AREA

BAY OF PLENTY DISTRICT ACTION DEFERRED At the meeting of Ward 6 of the New Zealand Couhties Association which took place at Whakatane last Wednesday, Mr Burnett, Whakatane County Council, reported that a letter had been received from the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council which stated as follows: —

“The Council is now convinced that the proposal for the modified Bay of Plenty Catchment District would be too small for successful operation and accordingly the Council has subsequently withdrawn its approval to the establishment of this district. The opinion is that the only district for the Bay of Plenty is the one originally proposed to the meeting held in Whakatane in February of last year—namely extending west to include the whole of the Tauranga Harbour Catchment. Such February meeting did not endorse the larger proposal and subsequently two smaller districts were proposed. Under the circumstances the Council will defer any action to set up a Catchment District, but at an appropriate time will re-open the matter with all local authorities concerned in the larger district. Similarly, Mr W. Sullivan M.P., had received a letter which he had minuted on to the Whakatane County Council. “The original proposal put forward by the Soil Conservation Council for a Bay of Plenty Catchment District was that such district would include the whole of'the country draining into the sea from Opotiki to Tati,ranga Harbour inclusive. As uch it Would include the greater part of Opotiki, Whakatane, Rotorua and Tauranga Counties and Boroughs included therein. This proposal was not supported, two independent districts centering on Tauranga and Whakatane being desired. The Soil Conservation Council considers that the smaller district would be too small for successful administration and has accordingly withdrawn its approval to the establishment of the eastern district. At a later date a meeting of all local authorities will be convened with a view to re-con-sideration of the original proposal.”

Mr Burnett said that the Whakatane County Council had stated it would co-operate in the formation of the smaller district and had not advocated the larger district.