Legal advice sought on dredge shift

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33538, 20 May 1974, Page 12

Legal advice sought on dredge shift

(From Our Own Reporter)

GREYMOUTH, May 19.

Recommendations on the proposed shifting of the Kanieri gold dredge to the Grey River valley will be sought from head office legal advisers by the West Coast provincial executive of Federated Farmers.

Mr M. Wallace told the quarterly meeting on Friday that, what was required of the dredging company rested with the Westland Catchment Board. The conditions were

much stricter than any others on the West Coast regarding land restoration. “The catchment board is the body we have got to look to to see the implementation of conditions is carried out,” he said. “We must make sure the dredging company doesn’t get away with anything as other companies have in the past.” Mr S. M. Wallace said that the farmers in the area should be considered, and he believed they would be. There were some questions that had to be answered satisfactorily before anything concrete occurred.

Mr G. K. Ferguson said that the conditions recommended by the board to the Minister were for the latter to adopt at his discretion. “The present dredging plan and conditions are entirely and absolutely unacceptable to us,” he said.

When the Save the Grey Valley Action Committee was satisfied with conditions, some progress could be made, said Mr Ferguson.