Water Proposals Not Acceptable

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31904, 4 February 1969, Page 16

Water Proposals Not Acceptable

The seven councils which want to control underground water cannot accept the latest proposals by the North Canterbury Catchment Board for more delegation of authority to individual councils.

This was reported to a meeting of the Paparua County Council last evening from a meeting of the joint committee set up by the councils to make submissions to the National Water and Soil Authority. The committee’s report said it was convinced that it was in the public interest to have the control of underground water through a committee of the councils, on which the board, and possibly the Drainage Board, would be represented. Councils Committee In all respects, the job could best be done by a councils committee. If this was unacceptable to the national authority, an alternative should be found to form a committee with delegated powers.

Councils, the report continued, would be reluctant to agree to accept delegated, individual powers unless they had joint powers. The councils could not accept responsibility for the purity of the water if the board’s latest proposals were adopted. The joint committee proposed to hold another meeting to send an approved letter to the authority.

Engineer’s Remarks The County Engineer (Mr A. Dyhrberg) said the report reflected the belief of the council’s technical men who saw the councils as the only ones that should be in controL The councils had been doing the job, and the board had little knowledge of the problems.

Or L. P. Manion said it would be hard for the council to vote on the different proposals of the committee. “We don’t have to have a motion, but the City Council would like our support," said the County Clerk (Mr A. Kelly). Cr A. L. Coleman said

there was “a lot of surmising.” The council should stall, as the board probably would come up with fresh proposals. Cr J. Y. Pethig moved that the council support the committee’s report in toto. Cr D. P. Graham seconded the motion, which was carried. Both the councils and the board have been asked by the authority to make submissions for consideration at its March meeting.