Flood Erosion Threat

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29880, 21 July 1962, Page 15

Flood Erosion Threat

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, July 20. Recent floods in the Bay of Plenty cost an estimated £400.000 in damage and losses, said the Minister of Works (Mr Goosman).

“It’s a staggering figure with large areas of the best land out of production,” he said. “The position generally seems to be getting worse and worse.”

The Bay of Plenty had once been an area which claimed to have no soil erosion or river control problems. “More than ever before, it is necessary now to preserve land from erosion and from loss by flooding. New Zealand’s total area of rich arable land is not great, and the problem of loss is not being overtaken,” he said. Mr Goosman this week detailed the problem of the Soil Conservation and Rivers

Control Council at the first meeting of its three-year term.

“The task of the council has become a far bigger one than it was in the past.” he said. “All rivet control authorities whether catchment boards, commissions, or the Waikato, Valley Authoritymust get together to make sure the country holds on to the land it has.” It was evident the Government would have to find more money to support local con-

tributions in the battle with the rivers.

Some flood protection schemes which had been thought adequate could no longer be considered.

With increased development of the back-country, and with more and more use being made of tractors to dig drains and remove natural cover, run-off was increasing. This worked to the detriment of completed schemes It sometimes meant tragic results in watersheds where there were no schemes at all.