WIDE POWERS GIVEN

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25282, 6 September 1947, Page 3

WIDE POWERS GIVEN

CATCHMENT BOARD’S BY-LAWS USE? IN CASE OF URGENT NECESSITY “This Is a milestone in the history of the board,” said the chairman of the North Canterbury Catchment Board (Mr W. Machin) when a draft of its new by-laws was presented to the board for consideration yesterday. “These by-laws are strong and very arbitrary and give us enormous powers,” said Mr Machin. In view of the great powers of ths board, the chairman said he hoped the regulations would be exercised with great restraint. As there were men on the board with an intimate knowledge and understanding of the conditions under which men on the land worked, he felt this would be so. The by-laws give the board power to compel an occupier to change or reduce stocking of cattle or sheep, to refrain from stocking altogether, or to carry out works or refrain from doing things necessary for soil conservation. Provision is made for objections to the board’s rulings. These clauses are for use “in case of urgent necessity, of which the board is the sole judge, in order to prevent damage by floods or erosion or where the method of using the land is causing or likely to cause.erosion.” Other clauses deal with the control of watercouses. the lighting of fires, and the control of pests. Penalties for breaches may be as much as £5O and up to £5 a day for a continuing offence. The by-laws are to be handed to the board’s solicitors for examination, in relation to existing laws, and will later be presented to a special meeting of the board for adoption. The / drainage and rivers control committee of the board recommended that the board adopt the report of the chief engineer (Mr H. W. Harris) on the protection work necessary on Rakaia Island. ■ It was estimated that the work would cost £330 for two separate jobs. In recommending that the work be done, the committee suggested that Mr R. Ford be asked to find £6O in cofisideration of the protection afforded his freehold, and that application be made for ■ a subsidy under the minor river protection works scheme. The recommendation of the committee was adopted.