Confidence That Lake Will Not Be Raised

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32210, 31 January 1970, Page 12

Confidence That Lake Will Not Be Raised

A resolution protesting against the raising of the level of Lake Manapouri was carried without dissent by a meeting of 430 persons who listened to an address by die chairman of the Save Manapouri Committee (Mr R. J. McLean, of Invercargill) in Christchurch last evening.

The meeting also resolved without dissent to form a Christchurch Save Manapouri Committee.

Mr McLean said the Government could supply all the electricity promised to Comalco without raising the level of Lake Manapouri.

Raising the level of the lake 27ft would despoil the beauty of the lake beyond restoration. Thirty-five islands in the lake would be drowned, beaches would disappear and could not possibly be replaced, and the higher water would drown beech forests, undermine the steep slopes and cause slips. He answered questions for 50 minutes, and repeated with conviction that the lake level would not be raised because people in New Zealand would demonstrate to the Government that they did not want the lake despoiled. The meeting was organised by the New Zealand Scenery Preservation Society and the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society. The Deputy

Mayor (Mr H. P. Smith) who was in the chair, said it was gratifying to all in public life to know that there was still a large number of persons prepared to come to a protest meeting. “AN AFFRONT”

The referring to an independent tribunal the question of whether to raise Lake Manapouri was an affront to the Nature Conservation Council, a body set up by the Government, said Mr L G. Clark, of Christchurch, a vicepresident of the Scenery Preservation Society. The Government was ignoring the advice of the conservation council, and he hoped somebody would ask the Government to justify this action. “The council’s very existence is being overlooked by the proposal to set up an independent tribunal—and I put ‘independent’ in quotes,” Mr Clark said.

Mr T. M. C. Hay, of Lyttelton, chairman of the Canterbury branch of the Royal

Forest and Bird Protection Society, said the Nature Conservation Council should be made autonomous and given powers similar to those of the conservancy body in Britain. TE ANAU, TOO

Mr McLean said that the raising of the Lake Manapouri River, with weirs and a dam across the Waiau River, also involved keeping Lake Te Anau at high flood level, and draining it below its normal level when it was required to keep up the level of Lake Manapouri. This could mean a difference in levels of 23ft

“And so, Lake Te Anau would be spoiled; the Waiau River would be spoiled for boats and for fishing, and Lake Manapouri would be ruined, and become the dismal, frightening place that Lake Monowai has become—a cemetery of drowned trees.” Mr McLean showed several slides of Lakes Manapouri, Monowai and Te Anau to illustrate his argument that the Electricity Department could not prevent the despoliation of Lake Manapouri if the lake level was raised; could not possibly restore the beauty and beaches at the higher level; and could not avoid causing massive slips on the steep, bush-clad slopes. “But the lake will not be despoiled. Only a few months ago I was practically a oneman band. Then we formed the 10-man Save Manapouri Committee. Now the matter is a national campaign. “Very shrewd men, in professional positions, have formed a committee in Wellington and promised $lO,OOO. And they say more will be available if it is required. NORTH ISLAND “My committee insisted that I undertake this national tour. The protest will gather in individuals, groups and societies. It is not a mainland affair now—the people in the little island across the water are interested. I am going to Wellington, Palmerston North, Auckland, Marton, Hamilton, Taupo, Rotorua, Napier. .. . “We have a lot to do, but the protest will be formed into a spearhead that the Government must take notice of.

“This is only a beginning. We will establish the principle that in this democracy the land and the lakes that belong to the people will not be despoiled, but remain for the people,” Mr McLean said amid applause. During questions, he was assured that the New Zealand Deerstalkers’ Association and the Federated Mountain Clubs were against the level of Lake Manapouri being raised and would assist in the protest move.