RIVER PROTECTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3669, 23 July 1927, Page 3

RIVER PROTECTION.

DEPUTATION WAITS ON MINISTERS.

OBJECTION TO MANDATORY LEVIES.

On Thursday a Manawatu deputation waited on the Minister of Public Works (Hon. K. S. Williams) and the Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. R. F. Bollard) to protest against the mandatory levies made on local bodies by the Manawatu : Oroua River Commission.

The deputation was introduced by Mr. J. Linklater, M.P,, who briefly explained the views of the deputation which were not necessarily his own views. The deputation, he said, represented various local bodies in the Manawatu district affected by the recommendations to the commission which had been set up to allocate the proportion to be paid by local bodies towards the cost of the Manawatu-Oroua River Board’s scheme. The original cost of the scheme was set down at £450,000, of which the Government was to find £201,000 by way of subsidy. Since then, however, the River Board had modified its scheme, which was now to cost £225,000. The c'hief object of the deputation was to enter a strong protest against the mandatory levies fixed by tbe commission. . The mandatory levies, it was submitted, were unjust and inequitable, as the ratepayers who were most vitally concerned had no say in regard to the allocation. The deputation also protested against the alleged preferential treatment which had been meted out to the Makarua Drainage Board. Mr. J. Chrystall placed before the Minister several motions carried at a meeting of representatives of local bodies held at Palmerston North to discuss the whole position. At this meeting protests were made against the mandatory levies, and a motion was also passed, although not unanimously, against the “gigantic scheme” proposed by the Manawatu-Oroua River Board.

Mr. Guy spoke iu favour of the modified scheme, which had been suggested since the commission sat. A member of the deputation said it would be absolutely useless. Mr. Guy expressed the opinion that it would be impossible to divert such a big river as the Manawatu. It would be a. gigantic affair. He advocated tackling the river at the outlet and making two cuts. The Hon. K. S. Willials: Who asked for the commission? Mr. Guy: The present River Board. Mr. Williams: I notice that no one referred to the fact that the Government had been rather “socked in” over it. Mi’. Linklater: “The Government has not committed itself yet.” He added that he hoped the Minister would come and look into the matter thoroughly for himself. 'Mr. Williams promised that he would, but remarked that he was only a layman. After he had seen the position lie would present his views to Cabinet before a decision was arrived at. Mi - . Bollard said he presumed the board would not go on with the scheme unless they got the Government contribution. A member of the deputation: The quickest way to end the thing is to refuse your contribution. (Laughter).