CONTROL OF EROSION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 May 1941, Page 5

CONTROL OF EROSION

INVESTIGATION UNDER WAY. NO BILL PREPARED. ißy Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. The existence of proposed legislation dealing with river control and erosion was denied by the Minister of Public Works, Mr Armstrong, in an interview last evening. He said that judging by the communications he had received from a number of local bodies there appeared to be an impression that the Government had a Bill dealing with this question, but that was not so. Mr Armstrong said that all the Government had decided to do was to have an investigation made into the whole question of river control from the point of view of the damage caused by flooding and erosion. A select committee of the House of Representatives, which was known as the River Control Committee, had been appointed for this purpose. The committee had just started its investigation, having] to meet again next Tuesday to hear representations from local bodies.

As a basis for the investigation the Public Works Department had drafted tentative proposals, but to suggest that legislation had been prepared by the Government as a matter of Government policy was quite incorrect. The Government itself had not had an opportunity to consider these proposals formulated by the department, but would do so after the committee had ascertained the views of the people most vitally affected. The committee might approve or amend the department's proposals, or it might recommend something quite different. The Minister said he realised that many of the local bodies had not been in a position to give a considered view sooner because of the local body elections. for the members of an outgoing local body would naturally wish toleave such a question to their successors.