RIVER BOARD ABOLITION

Chronicle (Levin), 26 September 1946, Page 3

RIVER BOARD ABOLITION

SETTLERS' MEETIN» DISAGREES ON EETjENTION. Opposition by Makerua settlers and support by Koputaroa and Moutoa representatives for the principles involved in the Mana-watu-Oroua River Board's petition for the continuation of its existence, were expressed at a well attended meeting at Shannon on Tuesday evening convened by Mr. R. J. Law for purpose of considering the action or otherwise to be taken by the settlers regarding the petition. The argmwnt put l'onvard against was that anything which uiight be done to take the ratiag of the district controllcd at present by the ManawatuOroua River Board out of the hands of i tlie Manawatu Catchment Board, lnight ! liiuder tt major fiood prevention scheme i beiug put through the district. I In support of ihe retention of the ' River Board it was stated that rating | oi' the River Board land should be con- : trollod until the Catchment Board was j ready to classify for rating. The main I consideration was the munner in which ! the rates would be levied and how they juere going to be applied, the support - ; ing speakers statcd. j No agreement was reached by the meeting. ; The Manawatu-Oroua River Board petition statcs: — ! ' ' We, being the ratepayers of the ' Manawatu-Oroua River Board desire to reeurd our objeotiou to Section G, sub- \ sectiou 5, and Section 13, sub-section 1 » of the Hoil Conservatiou and Rivers Control Bill, 1946, and to similar clauses in the Manawatu-Oroua River Board . District Abolition Bill and beg that no ; river board authority be abolishod nntil : the Catchment Boards have classified j the whole area atfectod by major j scliemes, and is ready to procoed as to j rating, as pertaining to the Soil Con- | servation and Rivers Control Act, 1941. We submit that all that will be changed is that Ihe ratepayers' control will be abolishod and local intereat will not be maintained. Any scheme can proceed without. the ratepayers being consulted in any wa.y whatsoever. We are of the i opinion that if a river authority is to be abolished and rating and classificalion retained by Catchment Boards, that a poll of ratepayers' is desirable. l.n our case our river district comprises only a small part of the already deter- ' mined Manawatu Catchment Board soparate rating area — from the Gorge to the sea. We submit that no good purpose cnn be servod by the abolition of the Manawatu-Oro«n River Board until ; such timi; as the Manawatu Catchment Board has made a classification allied , to a major co-ordinated scheme of flood ! control. i " We, the ratcpaycr.s and membera of tlie Manawatu Oroua River Board, in Ihe meantime nudertake to support and co-operate with the Manawatu Catehinent Board in auv worthwhile schemo of floud control of the Manawatu and : Oroua Rivers. "