Manapouri

Press, Volume C, Issue 29501, 1 May 1961, Page 3

Manapouri

Sir.—The Prime Minister has repeatedly stated that his

Government’s policy is “honest government’’ and “tell the people the truth,’’ I which should ensure an ' answer to these questions, ils it a fact <a) that any I raising o£ the level of i Manapouri will inundate ’ thousands of acres of mill- ' able bush, mainly white I pine, in the Hope Arm? I (b) that the proposed 90ft rise will flood thousands of ! acres to the east originally : scheduled for development ' by the Lands Department but j now withdrawn because pi ! the threat of inundation? ft> I that the Minister of Works ; completed his “satisfactory" I appraisal of the lake in under i two hours? id) that the i Manapouri-Te Anau Development Bill is a distinct viola- | tion of the National Parks Act?—Yours, etc., J. M. CRONIN. April 18, 1961. [This letter was referred to the Prime Minister, Mr Holyoake, who replied as folj lows: “It is a fact that in ’ raising the lake level some bush will be inundated in the Hope Arm and other arms and some millable tim- | ber will be lost. The company has been requested to salvage as much timber as it is practical and economic to take out. To the east an area estimated at 8500 acres will be inundated and provision has been made in the agreement for the company to pay full compensation to the Crown, plus the cost of any development work done in this area. The answer to the other two questions is in the negative. In the final analysis there will be some loss of bush and land, but all practical steps have been taken to preserve the scenic beauty - of the lake. The loss is in- • finitesimal compared w ! th the immense over-all value of the project to New Zealand."!