RECENT OPENING OF LAKE

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28324, 9 July 1957, Page 9

RECENT OPENING OF LAKE

Board’s Denial Of

Reports

Reports circulating that the opening of Lake Ellesmere had been delayed or? account of the opening of the duck-shooting season were entirely incorrect, said Mr A. T. Bell (chairman of the drainage committee), at a meeting of the North Canterbury Catchment Board. If the lake level reached 3.5 feet before April 30, the obligation was on the board to make the opening, said Mr Bell. The obligation shifted after April 30 to 3.7 feet. The duck shooting season opened at the beginning of May. The lake level did not reach 3.5 feet by April 30. When it had opened the lake before the level was reached on an earlier occasion, the board had taken a rap from the Soil Conservation Council. It had to wait until the level rose to 3.7 feet, and then the rain came.

“These people with peculiar minds now blame the board and say we delayed the opening on account of the shooting season,” said Mr Bell. When the lake rose to 3.7 feet on May 15, it was opened. The opening closed, and before the outlet could be reopened heavy rains occurred, with resultant wide flooding. ‘‘We were not doing anything to benefit anybody else,” said Mr Bell. “We were doing our duty. I want to make that perfectly clear.” This was not thg first occasion it had been rumoured that the lake opening had been withheld because ft was going to clash with the opening of the duck shooting, said Mr E. J. Stalker. The shooting season had never made any difference to the timing of activities for the opening of the lake.