Heavy Catchment Rate Forseen By Whakatane County Councillors

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 95, 4 November 1947, Page 5

Heavy Catchment Rate Forseen By Whakatane County Councillors

The claim that catchment costs should be a national rather than a local responsibility was put forward with some force by Cr H. C. McCready at last Tuesday’s meeting of the Whakatane County Council, when the proposed new Catchment Board was discussed. There was some support for his point of view. The Chairman, Mr J. L. Burnett, reported on the recent conference on the subject at Te Puke, a resume of which was published earlier this week, and expressed the opinion that the only way to keep expenditure within reasonable limits was to have a Board covering the Whakatane and Opotiki areas only, from the Tarawera River to the Waiaua River. That was what he suggested should be put before the Local Body Commission's inquiry which is to be held at Whakatane later. Cr Hunter said the Rangitaiki district would have a case to put before the Commission. He could see a big rate coming up, with serious repercussions for farmers in that area.

Cr McCready expressed the opinion that the County and Hospital rates would be small compared with it. In any event, he felt that soil conservation was a national matter, and the cost should be spread on that basis.

Others agreed, but it was decided that no decisions could be made at this juncture by the Council.