Clean Halswell aim of Catchment Bd

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33580, 8 July 1974, Page 14

Clean Halswell aim of Catchment Bd

If the Halswell River became dirty again, it would reflect on the management of the board, said Mr R. F. Stead, at a meeting of the North Canterbury Catchment Board.

| "I would be worried if this happened again — dirty, as would be most likely, with suspended solids,” Mr Stead said. The board should have a flexible management I system for the river to ! maintain its wellbeing. Mr Stead was commenting ion a report from a meeting board members had had with the Tai Tapu Residents’ Association. Mr M. J. O. Dixon said that the residents, chiefly for ecological reasons, wanted the board to hand or machine clean the river rather than use weed sprays over its two-ni'le stretch through Tai Tapu. Mr H. E. Connor said that; the residents wanted the highest quality water in the! stream, making it att’active to look at. “That is in keeping with! ,the board’s thinking,” said! the deputy chairman (Mr J. I 'M. Pickering). “The desire of ;

the residents would be the desire of the board, and 1 am sure the staff will take whatever steps are necessary to maintain this.” The Chief Engineer (Mr J. A. Macdonald) said that spraying should not be done if at all possible.

Picnic spot.-—A right was granted to the Crown to take water from the Hurunui! River to irrigate the picnic! ground at the north end of! the Hurunui bridge on the Lewis Pass route. The reserve is maintained by the I New Zealand Forest. Service. Rating.—The board’s classifier (Mr A. C. Norton)! was asked- to prepare final ■classifications for a special' rating district for those affected by protective work' ;done on the Rakaia River at Double Hill. Reserves. — The board released four more blocks of! ;land for recreational use at' McLean's Island. Appli-! . cations will be called toi 21-1 year leases. The blocks i range from 5.2 ha to 80.5ha,i land the annual rentals from' is6o to $6OO. , — ,