More Responsibilities For Catchment Boards Forecast

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31074, 1 June 1966, Page 6

More Responsibilities For Catchment Boards Forecast

"The Press’’ Special Sereica

NELSON.

Legislation arising out of the report of Dr. Donald Williams, administrator of United States Agriculture Department’s Soil Conservation Service, could be expected in the not too distant future, said Mr A. H. Reeves (Poverty Bay in his presidential address to the twentieth annual conference of New Zealand Catchment Authorities’ AsAssociation in Nelson this afternoon.

Dr. Williams came to New Zealand in 1964 to examine the organisation and administration of soil conservation and river control work, and reported to the Government. Mr Reeves said it was probable that this legislation would add to the responsibilities and duties of catchment authorities.

Reviewing the achievements of 20 years, Mr Reeves said these represented only a small part of what was required to be done. Out of 60,000 farms, perhaps 10,000 required immediate soil conservation treatment. Of these, fewer than 100 were at present consistently, year by year, working under catchment authority guidance. The fact that not only the continued production of hill country depended on soil conservation, but also that the effective life span of river control schemes was determined by the quality of residue reaching the river

systems, made expansion of soil conservation activities a pressing need. In his opinion the most notable feature of the 20 years of the association's life was the change in thinking of people not connected with catchment work: from the uncertainties of early years to wide acceptance of the necessity for catchment authorities to deal with the problem of soil conservation, rivers control, and drainage. The main heading of accomplishment of catchment authorities included, under rivers control, 110 miles of stopbanks constructed, 3100 miles of river channels cleared, 570 miles of heavy bank protection, 11,170 miles of Ight bank protection, 93 miles rock bank protection, 180 miles of diversion cuts and maintenance of 9400 miles of river channels.

Drainage accomplishments included maintenance of 23,800 miles, reconstruction of 2,070 miles and consruction of 460 miles of new drains. In soil conservation 8,540,000 trees had been planted, 8400 gully control dams built, 1200 miles of conservation fencing carried out, 7500 acres of graded banks and terraces and 200 miles of strategic fire breaks formed. These and bridges, culverts, pumping stations, flood control structures, oversowing of pastures and other activities had made a substantial contribution to increased production. But that was not all removal of fear of flood from many thousands of people had meant a great deal in human values and earned catchment authorities much good will.