P.M. to decide on Lake Rotorua

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33790, 12 March 1975, Page 25

P.M. to decide on Lake Rotorua

(New Zealand Press Association)

ROTORUA

Conflict on ways to protect Lake Rotorua may be resolved by the Prime Minister (Mr Rowling).

He has accepted an invitation to see and hear at first hand the various control measures required to combat weed growth, enrichment, and deteriorating water. Mr Rowling will arrive in Rotorua on April 5 after a request for action from Dr P. W. Tapsell, a city councillor and Rotorua’s Labour candidate in this year’s General Election.

Growing public concern, confusing Ministerial statements, and general lack of unified action led Dr Tapsell to seek the Prime Minister’s intervention.

“Every Rotorua citizen is becoming alarmed at the direction of events in regard to Lake Rotorua control,” Dr Tapsell said today. “We have sought the right answer, and now the Government must ensure that we are given the right control — immediately, and without any division of authority.

“Mr Rowling agrees that Lake Rotorua is an invaluable national asset, and that any bid to arrest the gradual decline of the lake’s purity should be give top priority,” said Dr Tapsell. “Local body leaders, who 1 are rightly demanding action, will be in a position to ensure a complete picture is presented,” said Dr Tapsell. “In the meantime, I have arranged for Mr Rowling to be given the full background on our lake problems,” said Dr Tapsell. “He will be fully informed and ready to discuss future steps when he arrives here.” The intervention of the Prime Minister comes amid the appointment last week of a special scientific committee to look at Lake Rotorua. The announcement of this by the Minister of Works (Mr Watt) was strongly criticised by local bodies and guardians of the Rotorua lakes.