Legal action likely

Press, 9 April 1979, Page 4

Legal action likely

Allegations of unauthorised waste discharge from the Canterbury Timber Products’ chip-washing plant at Ashley into-an upper tributary of Saltwater Creek, have been referred’ to the North Canterbury Catchment Board’s solicitor. . A meeting of the board: recommended to its! solicitor that, if sufficient: grounds exist, prosecution i proceedings should be instituted against the company under the provisions of the; Water and Soil Conservation Act, 19157. “We have not had a I smooth run with this com-' pany and its processing: plant,” said Dr W. A, I Holmes, chairman of the I board. The board had to stepl down for the judicial sys-: tern this time and iet the I right people resolve the mat- I ter, he said. The McLeans Island planlations will close from May - 1 until October 31 this year., the chairman of the reserves I committee (Mr R. F. Stead) I told the meeting. All persons not holding! special written authority' from the board will be prohibited from entering the plantations between these dates because of the risk of fire hazard in slashed areas and the danger from leaning trees and from debris. Dr Holmes said that the i board could not condone | people taking undue risks i

qand the public would be let iin again after the planstations were legallv safe and ;a more satisfactory surveillance of the area could be imade. | Before the plantations (close the Kiwanis Club will be allowed to collect firejwood on April 21 to distribute to the aged, and others. ; Recent surveys of water (levels taken by the board in the western and southern (areas of its district show (that levels in some areas are (considerably above those reIcorded in previous years. in spite of the dry condi- ( ;lions of the recent summer., (water levels surveyed in, (early March were higher! (than in corresponding; I periods in previous years, I said Dr Holmes. ; If the trend continued as I (would be expected with sea-1 isonal rainfall, there could be; (high groundwater and under-1 current problems over wide; (areas of the plains, this win-1 Iter and next spring, he said. I I Graphs of levels were; (plotted at Cust, Leggetts! (Road, beside Ruapuna Park, Templeton. Kirwee, and the Old West Coast Road. Dr Holmes said that the public must, be extremely cautious when disposing of water, such as emptying a swimming pool. I “It would be advisable to; | bore a hole in these areas to | test the water levels before (disposing of water.” he said. 1 More discussions with

runholders on soil and water conservation plans for their high-country properties have been deferred by the board. Dr Holmes said that the! board had invested some tens of thousands of dollars in the plans but for various] reasons it was getting no-' where. The chairman of the soil! conservation committee (Mr; H. T. Grigg) said that a! main reason runholders had] not accepted the plans was that they would have to surrender land to the Crown,! rather than its being de-1 (stocked (and remaining in the! (title of the lease) under a, registered agreement with; the board. ! The properties concerned* (are Mount Hutt station.] | Glenfalloch, Mount iAlgidus.l (Big Ben, Snowdon, and, Glynn Wye. I Runholders of the Belle- ; field, Ahuri, Lake Taylor, land Mount White stations will be advised by the board (that should they wish fur- ; ther to discuss proceeding (with their soil and water ' conservation plans they should apply to the board.