Fresh Submissions On Water Control

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31894, 23 January 1969, Page 1

Fresh Submissions On Water Control

After an “in committee” discussion with members of the National Water and Soil Conservation Council yesterday afternoon, it was agreed that new submissions for the control of underground water in the Christchurch and Ellesmere areas should be made to the authority by the North Canterbury Catchment Board and the seven councils concerned.

This was reported after the meeting by the authority’s deputy chairman (Mr N. T. Gillespie), who headed a sub-committee of six from the authority. Both groups had been asked to reconsider their attitudes, he said. “The authority had hoped to be able to consider the question at its meeting on February 6, but as it will be impossible for all the councils to reach a decision in time, it will come before the authority’s next meeting, probably in March,” he told “The Press.”

The meeting was to see if the dispute over the form of underground water control could be settled. The catchment board wants to delegate powers to the individual councils, with over-riding control, and the Christchurch City

Council, Riccarton and Lyttelton Borough Councils, Waimairi, Paparua, Heathcote and Ellesmere County Councils want to form a joint controlling committee. Before the meeting got down to detail, Mr Gillespie said that he had studied where Christchurch stood on underground water control. There had been an invalid decision by the Local Government Commission granting the councils control, but the fact remained that, after some years, Christchurch did not have control of its underground water. “Christchurch almost absolutely depends on underground water,” he said. “It is essential that there should be a controlling authority, without delay, and what form it should take must be established.” Mr Gillespie said that the national authority had been pleased to appoint the subcommittee. The Town Clerk of Christchurch (Mr M. B.

Hayes) last August had asked the national authority to take no action until the councils concerned had had an opportunity to comment on the board’s proposal that it assume full responsibility. The authority had had no comments from the councils, although the Director of Water and Soil Conservation (Mr N. C. McLeod) had had a personal letter from the City Engineer (Mr P. G. Scoular), asking for a meeting. “We discussed this with the board this morning and have their views,” said Mr Gillespie, who then raised the question of whether the reporters should remain. The discussion that followed was taken in committee after an 11 to 7 vote against a motion put by two catchment board members, Dr W. R. Holmes and Mr H. E. Connor, that reporters be allowed to remain.

At a meeting of councillors held earlier, a vote was taken against the meeting being open, but Mr Gillespie told the combined meeting that both the national authority and the board had no objection. In declaring tbe exclusion motion carried, Mr Gillespie said he was sorry.