BUSINESS AT CATCHMENT BOARD’S MEETING

Grey River Argus, 25 March 1948, Page 7

BUSINESS AT CATCHMENT BOARD’S MEETING

Advice that the proposed tour of New Zealand by a film unit under the supervision of the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council had been cancelled was received at yesterday’s meeting of the Westland Catchment Board. This tour, which was to have included several days on the West Coast, was for the purpose of enabling farmers and others interested to see the .type of erosion problems which the' Council through the Catchment Boards, is., dealing with in New Zealand. The films taken deal largely with problems particular to those of New Zealand generally and emphasise the great need for the checking of erosion of all forms. Much data had been collected for the tour. The secretary, Mr H. N. Pyne, advised the meeting that -.here was no notification as to why the itinerary had been cancelled, but that he believed that a now tour was shortly to be announced. At the commencement of the meeting Mr Pyne informed members that the chairman, Mr F. Boustridge would not be present on account of health reasons. Mr Boustridge had been ordered to bed by the doctor. Mr H. M. Lawry was elected to the chair in the absence of Mr Boustridge and he moved a motion of regret that Mr Boustridge was indisposed. That the Soils Council approved of the draft form of the Board’s bylaws was the information received from that Council. However, it was pointed out that Section 151 of the Catchment Act provided only £5O as a miximum penalty for a breach of the regulations and not £lOO as set. out. by the Westland Board. The secretary informed members that under the new Rural Fire Act, a minimum penalty of £lOO was set out and that the board had acted accordingly. It had been thought that the Catchment Act would be amended to include this also. It was moved that the information be received and that an explanation of the provision of the £lOO penalty be included in a

reply.

ANIMAL PEST PROBLEM The West Coast branch of Federated Farmers advised the board of a discussion at its recent meeting regarding the board’s request for information on the animal pest problems on the Coast partisplarlv in relation to those animals causing soil erosion in high country areas. The board will arrange discussions with the farmers in an endeavour to formulate definite proposals for the eradication of the pests. Mr A. J. Shannon suggested that the matter of a minimum price for opposum skins be gone into at the annual conference of Catchment Boards and further suggested that this would definintely encourage trappers to work more arduously for their eradication. This, it. was pointed out, was the text of a remit, from Poverty Bay. The Inangahua Couni.y Council agreed to provide a sum of £25 in next year’s estimates for contributions towards maintenance of river protection works. HAAST PASS ROAD The board gave Ts support to any representations being made for the early completion of the Haast Pass Road this followed receipt of the circular from the South Island Publicity Association forwarding a copy of a’ memorandum received from the Mayor of Greymouth. Mr Boustridge in connection with the progress and the development work in South Westland particularly on the Haast Road.

The board recently drafted proposals for the establishment of a quarry on the Styx River for protection works on the Kokatahi River. Yesterday, the Westland County Council expressed agreement with the proposal and offered to donate half of the sum required from settlers in the district. The cost of opening the quarry was quoted at £1,900. Of this the. settlers were to contribute £250 and with the donation of £125 from the County Council the amount had already been made up After provision had been made for sundries the total cost of the quarry would be £1450 and the Board is to write to the Soils. Council for approval to go ahead with the job. FARMERS' OBJECTIONS Mr Noah Harris wrote objecting to proposed work- intended by the board on the Kokatahi River for the protection of the land of other farmers. He maintained that these works which would mean turning the river to force the full rush of the waters on his land.

As the proposals as yet are only in the tentative stage the engineer is to note the objection. In the meantime Mr Harris to be advised that no work is contemplated-at the present. A protest against the removal of plant from the Inchbonnie area before protection works had been done along the Crooked River was sent in by Air J. Graham. He stated that the settlers concerned had been willing to keep their promise regarding finance and thought the board' should keep its word that the plant would not be moved before the works had been done.

The engineer reported that the plant had been moved at the request of the Public Works Department by whom it was owned and that he had been asked by the Soils Council to submit alternative plans for the works mentioned by Mr Graham. When these were completed the project would be gone ahead with. The farmer is to he advised accordingly.

The resident engineer of the Public Works Department. Mr A. B. Bremner, wrote advising that the Soils Council had approved the issue of £2.080 for willow planting etc., on Hie Grey River in the Ikamatua district adjacent to O’Malley’s and Fitzgerald's farms. This ho stated, was conditional on the settlers contribuliyo- £931 and donating the la'nd required for Hie plantations. This donation was to be port of the total opttmaind cost of £2 311. The board decided to advise the -.'Hlei'q of ibis -w(l reounst their con- : n -n f] ie transfer of the rer:P;"Or] JPnd. Tb.nt Rm nnchinn ivbh water floW-h-n- (->vpy piq Inna had become so serin’i<- thnt recently h« had not been nhlp t« ennr] Pic' ehild’’cn to r "bool v-no adviced bv Mr R. T Williams ’•.hose m-oDeri” is near lhe_ Wriitaiiei Pii-.r. all origin,Tpr flTiljl Wf/llingl Oil ' r ‘-horiiv to formulaic nianc tor 'Walin-- with fhe Wailfmm River ami Hie senior h- to he so informed. A returned soldier farming a Re-h-'boitpHor Department. property. Mr A F. Stoop. reciuested assistance i'o>' his property on Raft Creek, a irihiitovy of the Koi’atahi River. This ho said was clogged with weeds and needed cleanin' 1 -’ and deepening for smno disianco. I-To added this was vital io ids success as the creek was running or taking away his land and would continue to do so if the mailer was not dealt with. Mr Shannon sneaking in sunport of the settler’s request said that the creek had been cleared some years ago and a good job had then been made. However, the position now was. such that were a man to plough his field and a flood would swamp the whole of the area. It was a big hurdle for the man concerned to farm his - land and one in which the board should assist. Pheer were other set-

tlers involved, including a second exsoldier. HOKITIKA WHARF WORKS Mr D. M. Pettigrew brought to the notice of the engineer the fact that when recent protec lion works were erected in Hokitika a stop-bank extended right to the end of the wharl shed in which it was customary to store goods before they were shipped to South Westland. As the stop bank was too far along the doors on the shed could not be opened. Mr Ross is accordingly to discuss the matter with interested Hokitika local bodies and remedy the matter. The engineer suggested that a remit should be forwarded to the annual conference on the matter cl trie rate of subsidy for work,, schemes. This at present, he said, was on a flat rate and he considered that it should be altered to al low . for rating as each case merited. In this he was supported and is to' draft a remit for the Board’s consideration. Present were: —Messrs Lawny (chair), Shannon, G. Lowes, W. Toon J R- Bradley, Pettigrew, J. Ryan, J. R. Shepherd, R. B. May, W. Fisher, T. P. O’Neill, W. S. Ross (engineer), and Pyne (secretary).