EROSION CONTROL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 September 1941, Page 7

EROSION CONTROL

ELECTION OF PROPOSED BOARDS OBJECTIONS TO SYSTEM. COUNTY COUNCIL DISCUSSION. The Masterton County Council, al yesterday's meeting, decided to make representations to the New Zealand Counties Association concerning the system, under which the personnel of catchment boards, set up under the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Bill, would be elected. The Minister of Public Works advised. in reply to a telegram, forwarded by the chairman of the Masterton County Council requesting that consideration of the proposals contained in the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Bill be deferred until the council had an opportunity of studying the same, that after the second reading debate it would probably be referred to a Select Committee to which; interested parties would have the opportunity of making representations. The secretary of the New Zealand Counties Association wrote urging the council to forward any comments on the Bill as soon as possible. Mr J. C. D. Mackley (County Clerk) said that the Bill had been altered from the draft proposals before the council at its recent meeting. He explained its salient points, stating that' the Bill empowered a rate of 2jld in addition, to special rates, on capital value. “That is equal to 3d in the £ on unimproved values." observed Councillor H. H. Mawley, “but. it is only (he limit of the catchment board's rating powers.” “Three or- four years ago the idea was to reduce the number of local bodies but this would appear to make more,” said Councillor G. Moore. “If the cost is too heavy something will happen,” said the chairman, Mr R. E. Gordon Lee. “The Government is piling the cost on the land which can only lead to the socialisation of land.” Councillor W. I. Armstrong: “What else- is the Government doing? ■ It is socialising everything—doctors included.” Councillor J. Donald contended that the farming community would be asked to bear the brunt of the cost, yet it was a national project. Mr Mackley pointed out that the catchment boards would be sot up on the same system as that for the appointment of power and harbour boards. That meant that the farming community would be outnumbered if a vote were allowed on a residential or property qualification. It was decided to make representations to the Counties Association accordingly.