River Control Scheme Held Incomplete

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30169, 28 June 1963, Page 14

River Control Scheme Held Incomplete

(New Zealand Press Association)

HAMILTON, June 27. A bombshell was dropped in the closing stages of the first sitting of the Commission of Inquiry into financing the lower Waikato river control scheme, in Hamilton today. In evidence, counsel for Franklin County, a company director, two drainage boards, and a group of farmers, Mr N. I. Smith, issued statements in which it was claimed the control scheme as prepared by • the Waikato Valley Authority was incomplete and that the results of its operation were uncertain. In a “statement of case” on behalf of the Franklin County Council, and Caesar Roose, company director, of Auckland, together with a number of farmers, it was claimed that until information was gleaned from hydraulic model tests it could not be determined the scheme would not be detrimental to the above parties. At present it could not be ascertained that the scheme would not result in increased silting in the river delta area, directly affecting the property owners. It was further claimed that the main channel training works, estimated to cost £255,000, were insufficiently

described in the works, as no particulars were furnished. Another clause claimed that the classification of lands according to the degree of direct benefit (for rating purposes), was ex parte and without statutory authority, and was not binding on the landowners. ' The Aka Aka, Otaua and the Maioro areas of the Franklin county would derive no benefit whatever from the scheme, and certain areas would suffer detriment from the consequences of increased silting, it was claimed. ‘•Any allocation of the costs of the scheme would be premature, and impossible, and unjust to the said parties at present,” the statement said. Some of the farmers represented by Mr Smith own land in Raglan County. Another party was the New Zealand Pulping Mills, . Ltd., an incorporated company, having its registered office in Auckland. The chairman, Mr F. F. Reid, said the commission 'had been led to believe that all the constituent counties in the Waikato Valley Authority had agreed to the commission, and the order of reference for the hearing. “I think I made our position clear at the start of the sitting,” said Mr Reid. “I said we were not here to examine the hydraulics or engineering details of the scheme but to decide on the financial contributions.” Mr' Smith said that until certain engineering aspects of the scheme were clarified it would be impossible to ascertain or assess the financial commitments for which his clients would be liable. He said hydraulic model

tests of the delta area of the river would take at least two years to complete, and would cost £30,000. Already there was considerable expert knowledge that no benefits frorp the river control scheme, as advocated, would accrue to his clients. Mr Reid: “Before we sit again on July 16, certain aspects must be cleared up, as it was our understanding that the constituent councils, including Franklin, were in agreement on the general scheme, and the order of reference of this hearifig. “If Franklin did agree, we must know whether we can allow them to go out of the order of reference,” he told Mr J. W. Bain, counsel for the commission.