Wider Problems Facing Board

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31828, 5 November 1968, Page 11

Wider Problems Facing Board

Much wider responsibilities had been given to the board by its administration of the new Water and Soil Conservation Act, and he hoped that in its larger field, the board would work together to solve its problems, said Mr A. T. Bell, who has succeeded Mr R. M. D. Johnson as chairman of the North Canterbury Catchment Board.

Mr Bell, a lawyer, said the profession bad to “scratch its heads" over the act, which was very difficult to understand, yet the board was charged with the job of interpreting it. The board also faced the extension of its district to bring in the rest of Waipara county and Cheviot and Amuri counties, and while this must await a Local Government Commission decision, it would involve a change in board membership. In its early years, the board had had to overcome tremendous differences, and It took a long time for boards to establish the confidence of the community, and particularly, the farmers. In the past, said Mr Bell, the board’s chairman had come from the country. Mr Johnson, while chairman, had done a tremendous amount of work, which might more readily have been done by the staff, though the board’s policy was that staff had to act with a board member. Mr Bell said he believed that the staff and the district member concerned should have more responsibility, rather than have the chairman trying to help. Mr Johnson, who had been chairman for 15 years, said he did not wish to be renominated. Mr Bell, a member of the board for 15 years, was elected chairman by eight votes to six in a contest with Dr W. R. Holmes, who was subsequently elected deputy chairman. Committees elected were:— Rivers control and drainage, Messrs R, A. Witbrock (chairman), I. R. Chamberlain, D. A. Lane, R. C. P. Palmer, R. H. Mackenzie, M. J. O. Dixon, Johnson: soil

control, Messrs J. M. Pickering (chairman), N. S. Coad, H. E. Connor, M. J. Conway, A. R. Dingwall, Mackenzie, L. W. McCaskill, Johnson, Dr Holmes: reserves, Messrs Coad (chairman), Dixon, Conway, Dingwall, Chamberlain, Connor: water, Messrs Connor (chairman), McCaskill, Palmer, Lane, Dr Holmes: executive and finance, Dr Holmes (chairman), Messrs Witbrock, Pickering, Coad, Connor.