Park Board Unhappy About Manapouri

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32234, 28 February 1970, Page 12

Park Board Unhappy About Manapouri

'New Zealand Pr esis Association/ 4nVERCARGILL, February 27.

Concern about contradictory and apparently contradictory statements from official sources on Lake Manapouri was expressed today ,by Mr J. S. Engel, chairman of the Fiordland National Park Board.

He said in a statement that the board reaffirmed its stand against the raising of the level of Lake Manapouri.

The Fiordland National Park, with an area of more than 3,000,000 acres, is one of the 10 biggest national parks in the world, and is the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere. “The board recently inspected the lake again and reviewed the over-all situation,” Mr Engel said. “On this important question it is apparent that the necessary work has not been done for a correct decision to be made. At this late stage possible alternatives to provide power other than by raising Lake Manapouri are being investigated.

“Statements by various Government officials on thfe cost of the work involved are inconsistent and there are very wide variations in the estimates.

“It has now been stated that the continuous power output if Manapouri is not raised is markedly less .than in earlier statements. Scientific work on the effects of lake raising has had no more than cursory investigation while, as far as can be ascertained, nothing has been done to assess the effect on the tourist industry and recreation.”

The board recorded its objection to proposals for lake shore clearing in the event of the lake being raised. The proposals were diluted versions of what had been clearly stated as minimum acceptable standards, the statement said.

“Through procrastination, the board fears that if a decision is made to raise the lake time would not permit acceptable restoration of the shoreline. “The board is concerned that any decisions ari likely to be made on assumptions and estimates which have no factual basis. It considers that Answers to the many questions are necessary to ensure that Lake Manapouri levels are unchanged" A party of 17 members of Parliament toured Southland yesterday, and saw Lakes Manapouri and Monowai, at the invitation of the Fiordland branch of the Travel and Holiday Association.