Riverbed access

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33290, 30 July 1973, Page 12

Riverbed access

Sir,—You reported last Saturday that the Ashburton County Council could not “see its way clear to meet wholesale demands” that gates erected across public roads should have “Public Road” notices affixed to them in accordance with local requirements. If they cannot see their way, some more responsible authority should assist their vision. The council’s concern with its responsibility to its farming community and protecting their * ratepayers from broken j bottles and litter would draw more sympathy if the heaps of rubbish dumped in riverbeds were not so obviously from farm sources. To test the county council’s sincerity, may I ask: how many gates are there across public roads in the Ashburton County? How many of these have “Public Road” notices on them as required by Section 145 of the Public Works Act? How many prosecutions has the council taken over litter or illegal rubbish-dumping? How many for pollution? —Yours, etc., WAITOREKE. July 1, 1973.

[Mr J. H. Burns, the Ashburton County Clerk, replies: “On public roads giving all-weather access there would be about 30 gates. I understand that, when these gates were erected a ‘Public Road’ notice would be attached thereto. However,

these notices are a target for vandals and only a few now remain. Several prosecutions have been taken over the illegal dumping of rubbish. The council will prosecute any offender who can be traced. No prosecutions have been taken for pollution.”]