LAKE ELLESMERE DRAINAGE

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21909, 9 October 1936, Page 12

LAKE ELLESMERE DRAINAGE

PROPOSED ALLOCATION OF COST

MORE THAN £IOO,OOO THOUGHT TO BE INVOLVED

[From Our Parliamentary Reporter]

WELLINGTON, October 8.

The terms under which the Government will assist in the proposed scheme, to drain Lake Ellesmere were mentioned in the House of Representativs during the debate on the Finance (No. 2> Bill. A clause in the bill authorises the Minister for Public Works to construct drainage and control works and a permanent outlet of the lake to the sea. Froiji an indication given in the House by the Minister for Finance (the Hon. W Nash), it appears that the scheme will cost a good deal more than £IOO,OOO, with contributions from various sources

The information given the House was referred to at a later stage in the debate by Mr H. S. S. Kyle (Nat., Rlccarton), who said that he noticed that the Government had decided to set asid§ £17,000 that had accumulated locally for the drainage of the lake, that the Public Works Department was willing to grant £45,000 for the work, the Employment Promotion Fund would provide £39,000, and the Lake Ellesmere Drainage Board would have to find £15.003.

Mr Kyle expressed his satisfaction with that arfangement, but asked the Government at the same time to consider the proposal to drain Lake Forsyth as a part of the plan for tne drainage of Lake Ellesmere. He suggested that Lake Forsyth could be drained into Lake Ellesmere, which at present flooded so much that it became a menace to the valuable surrounding country.