Statement By W.V.A. Secretary In Reply To Criticism

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 60, 3 August 1965, Page 2

Statement By W.V.A. Secretary In Reply To Criticism

The secretary of the Waikato Vailey Anthority, Mr J. H. McKenzie, has issued a statement on the qnestion of administration finance. The W.V.A. was strongly criticised recently when Taupo, Rotorua and Taumarunui county councils and the Taupo Borough Council met to discuss the authority's report on the matter. "It should be made clear that both Taupo and Rotorua county councils have been demanding an expanded soil conservation service in their county areas to give personal and quicker service to their individual ratepayers," says Mr McKenzie. "At the same time, they have been demanding that the authority ensure compliance with soil conservation practices by the Lands and Survey Department, and other Government Departments. "It is fundamental that the full service as demanded can only be given if the money is found to provide that service. "The authority has submitted to individual councils throughout the catchment, including the downstream councils, suggested means of financing this increased service. This follows the original Waikato Valley Authority concept of loading part of the administrative cost in the areas in which it was expected the greater services would be required, somewhat on the principle that the user pays but with consideration for ability to pay. "When the authority was set np and contributions fixed, major soil conservation problems were not foreseen. "For this reason the local ; bodies in the Rotorua-Taupo

area were not given representation on the authority, nor were they pressed for any administration contribution. The reported statements that the counties concerned have not so far received value for money paid can he very quickly refuted. * "The authority has to date spent £3540 from its administration funds on investigations of river control and drainage works proposals in the Taupo and Rotorua counties, and on soil conservation proposals £5220 (in all £8760) while the two counties have paid into the administration account a total of £3650. "No payments have been made by either the Taumarunui county or the Taupo borough. These figures do not include any office administration or charge for the time of the chief engineer and secretary. "In addition, subsidies paid through the authority on river control works and " drain maintenance amount to £6790 and subsidies paid and approved on individual soil conservation projects amount to £7158. Of 60 active soil conservation jobs, 40 are on private farms and the balance on Government development blocks. Also, through the authority's efforts the Lands and Survey Department is setting aside substantial soil conservation reserves in the steep country for the benefit of the catchment as a whole and is building soil conservation measures into its 200,000 acres land development programme. "The authority realises that it has a responsibility and it looks to the local councils from which It is constituted to assist it to discharge this responsibility."