‘EVEN GREATER’ MANAPOURI

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30680, 20 February 1965, Page 1

‘EVEN GREATER’ MANAPOURI

(New Zealand Press Association)

INVERCARGILL, February 19.

The Minister of Works (Mr Allen) is convinced that when the level of Lake Manapouri is raised 60 to 80 feet to provide sufficient water for the giant Manapouri power scheme, the lake will be an even greater tourist asset than it is now.

Mr Allen made that comment after inspecting the areas likely to be covered during a tour of Southland with the National Roads Board this week.

Mr Allen said Manapouri would be a “much more attractive lake” after it was raised. Much of the scrubby wasteland round its shores and up the Waiau river valley towards Lake Te Anau would be inundated. The lake’s new boundaries would give it a much cleaner and more attractive aspect. There was no possibility of Manapouri becoming another Monowai.

Trees would all be topped down to 10ft below the waterline, at a cost of hundreds of thousands of pounds,” said Mr Alien. An example in New Zealand of how this could be achieved was the lakes created by the power schemes in the Waikato. These were most attractive and making them that way had cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The Director of Roading (Mr J. H. Macky), who was with the Minister, said he had been “horrified” on a recent visit to Australia at the manner in which the Snowy river power scheme lakes had been left.

“There are thousands of

acres of dead trees poking out of the water,” he said. The Minister said engineering work of this type could even include creating jetties and launching ramps, garden areas and so on.