FISHING IN THE OPIHI

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22676, 3 April 1939, Page 5

FISHING IN THE OPIHI

* EFFECT OF IRRIGATION

SCHEME

ANGLERS REPLY TO MR SEMPLE

(From Our Own Reporter,)

TEMUKA, April 1,

“People in this country have certain rights, and even persons like the Minister for Public Works can’t over-ride them,” said the chairman of the council of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society (Mr J. McDonald) to-day, during a discussion on the recent lowering of the stream levels in the Opihi river following the diversion of water for irrigation. So low did the river fall that many hundreds of trout were reported to have been killed through lack of water. When complaints were made to the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple), he said that when he heard people talking about the destruction of a few trout when major economic issues were involved it “made him bilious.” The welfare of hundreds of farmers was virtually saved by the Levels irrigation scheme, and it “made him fairly mad to hear of these squealers.” Subsequent representations to tho Marine Department by the society regarding the depletion in the river bywithdrawals for irrigation were acknowledged by the department, whibh advised that Mr A. E. Hefford, Inspector of Fisheries, would take an early opportunity of visiting South Canterbury to examine the irrigation scheme and to discuss with the engineer in charge any means available for maintaining the fishing value of the streams.

The secretary of the South Canterbury Anglers’ Club wrote stating that his club was gratified by the stand that the society had taken in the very serious matter of the Opihi river going dry through the excessive use of the irrigation system. His club was of the opinion that methods to overcome this disastrous position could not be too drastic, and would welcome the opportunity of giving the society any assistance that was possible.

Mr Hefford’s Inquiry

The secretary (Mr B. Hughes) said that Mr Hefford had called on him and discussed the question to some extent unofficially. Both the speaker and Mr Hefford had been unable to get into touch with the chairman. Mr Hughes said that Mr Hefford was of course making his report to the Minister for Internal Affairs, and the council would hear officially from the department. Mr Hefford had not met the engineer in charge of the irrigation works during the two days he was in the district, but had had discussions with the second-in-command. He had expressed a desire for further research work and for further investigation into the position of the fish foods in the river. There had been a suggestion that the fish food larvae had dug deep down into the damper gravel, Mr Hughes said.

The chairman said that the council would have to wait until Mr Hefford had reported to the Minister. Personally, he was rather doubtful whether the council could do much at all. “You have all read the recent remarks of the Minister for Public Works, published in the newspapers”, proceeded Mr McDonald. “Irrigation comes first, and fishing nowhere, as far as he is concerned. Maybe there are other % methods to be adopted in the matter—and I am sorry Mr E. Macdonald is not here to-day—but these can be considered later. >

“People in this country have certain rights, and even persofls like Mr Semple cannot over-ride them, as he is setting out to do in this case,” declared the chairman. “If the Public Works Department is going to meet us in any way, then Mr Hefford will no doubt have this in his report, but I am very doubtful.” Mr W. Kidd: The Minister’s remarks were totally uncalled for. I fail to see why politics were mentioned, for politics never entered the question. One would think all the anglers were Nationalists; and'we are not a bunch of “political squealers.” This is a matter of the conservation of fish. We have a department to look after that, and yet here is another department going to over-ride it. The chairman: Yes, • the Marine Dei partment is there to conserve fish, and,

it seems, the Public Works Department to destroy it. Mr McDonald added that after the publication of the Minister’s remarks, he had written not only to the newspapers but also to Mr Semple setting out the history o'f the position. Members agreed that until* the report was received the council could not make any decision. Before the council passed to other business, Mr J. H. Smillie asked: Did the Public Works engineer ring the ranger regarding the closing of the new dam in the Tengawai river at Albury Park? The chairman replied that he could not say. Mr Smillie said it had been reported to him that the dam for the Downlands water supply had now. been closed at Albury Park, with the result that the Tengawai stream was just a trickle and fish were left high and dry. Several members declared that if the department had not notified the ranger it appeared that it was out to destroy all the fish.