RIVER CONTROL COUNCIL

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23717, 15 August 1942, Page 7

RIVER CONTROL COUNCIL

REPRESENTATION CRITICISED

DISCUSSION ON REQUEST FROM SPRINGS COUNTY

The South Island’s lack of a people’s representative on the Soil Conservation and River Control Council was criticised by members of the Canterbury Progress League’s executive recently, but satisfaction was expressed that a request had arisen which would test whether the council would function or whether its work was to be shelved for a long period. The request was by the Springs County Council (to the Public Works Department) for inclusion in the proposed work of the council, and stating that the county council could not cope with drainage work by manual labour and that suitable machinery could not be obtained. The county council wanted a river control board to function in the area. The league’s support was sought in their representations. Mr L. W. McCaskill, chairman of the league’s soil conservation and river control committee, said he thought the council was supposed to be a New Zealand council, yet it had only one South Island member, and he (Mr T. G. Beck, district engineer of the department) was really a representative of the Government. In effect the council dtd not represent South. Island people at all. and moreover South Island problems were very different from those of the north. He knew, of course, that Mr Beck was a very capable engineer, but he did not represent the people. Having appointed the council, said Mr McCaskill. the Minister had indicated that nothing could be done for a long lime because education in the river control and soil conservation work would be required. To appoint experts and then make that remark seemed ridiculous. It appeared that the Government proposed to shelve work for a long time. Mr McCaskill said he welcomed the scheme in Springs County; apparently it would prove whether the council which had been set up was to funcr tion or not. He suggested that the best course in this case would be for the league to call a conference of local bodies affected to decide on the desirability of setting up a district under the act, the extent of the district, and the work to be carried out, and then to recommend that a catchment district be formed. Mr J. S. Simpson (Springs County) said his council had wanted to start the ball rolling so that when the war was over thousands of acres now producing little would be brought to full production and the rehabilitation of men could be set in motion. “A Very Busy Man” Mr S. P. Taylor (vice-president of the league) said that it was disturbing to have only one South Island representative on the . New Zealand council, especially as the council’s work involved a question which might be of extreme importance in post-war planning. Mr Beck was undoubtedly capable, but he was a very busy man. The Government, said Mr W. S. McArthur, had appointed a man from nominees whom river boards had been asked to recommend. There were many more river boards in the North Island, and apparently some of the South Island boards had supported North Island nominations, so that the Minister had had little option in that respect. Mr G. Kelly said that unfortunately in the case of the borough and county representative a North Island man had been appointed. The trouble was that from the south four names had been sent forward, whereas if one had been sent the South Island might have had a chance. Mr H. Holland: We were caught napping. However, I am under the impression that the catchment board is the most important one, and is the body which decides what is to be done on a job. The executive decided to refer all questions raised to its special committee for investigation and a report.