Committee Aims To Protect Taupo

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31864, 17 December 1968, Page 34

Committee Aims To Protect Taupo

(New Zealand Press Association) ROTORUA, December 16. The Lake Taupo Basin Co-ordinating Committee, set up to preserve the lake as a national asset, held its inaugural meeting in Turangi today.

The committee consists of senior, officers of several Government departments, representatives of local bodies, and landowners. The chairman, Mr P. J. o’Dea, Secretary for Internal Affairs, said: “To some extent this committee is a unique development in that it-brings together the Government, local bodies and landowning interests to achieve a common end. “There have been committees of this kind before, but possibly this is the most representative one set up with official blessing. “Already some landowners

have indicated their sympathy with the proposals by promising a stay of land development in the area until discussions can take place. “As a measure of its support the Government has di- : rected an indefinite suspeni sion of all Government land ; development in the proposed , reserved area,” Mr O’Dea ;■ said. “It is hoped these actions indicate the importance that • the main interested groups : place on the reserves pro- ■ posals, covering about 30,000 i acres round the shores of the lake and up its tribu- > taries.”