Tribunal composition 'board’s sole right’

Press, 7 June 1982, Page 7

Tribunal composition 'board’s sole right’

It was the “sole right" of the North Canterbury Catchment Board to decide the membership' of its tribunals, a board meeting has been told. Its chief executive officer. Mr E. R. Wood, was commenting on the formation of a special tribunal, to consider a water right application. The application is to divert drainage water and discharge it through channels on to land near Lake Heron. The applicant and objec tors made representation on the membership of the tribunal, but Mr Wood said that the board did not have to accept any of the names suggested. Mr T. N. D. Anderson was concerned that the applicant might therefore feel disadvantaged. However, the board decided to act on staff recommendations and appoint the chairman. Mr M. J. 0. Dixon, a board member, Mr F. F. Wilding, and the director of the Centre for Resource Management at the University of Canterbury, Dr J. Hayward, as the tribunal. Local effluent The board agreed to meet the Canterbury United Council and the Christchurch Drainage Board to discuss planning issues for the treatment of effluent in the Waimakariri River area.

Mr Dixon said that board members should be better informed bn such matters, and that the meeting might provide background information for the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company water right, which is due for consideration. Newspaper article Statements made by the National Water and Soil Conservation Authority, and reported in "The Press" of June 2. have upset the board. The authority criticised the length of time that the board said it would take to produce the final water allocation and management plan for the Rakaia River. The board replied that the plan was being prepared as quickly as possible so that those affected could be consulted. Dr B. P. J. Molloy said that the criticism was "unfortunate and provocative." It was a "disgraceful statement." said the deputy chairman. Mr R. B. Johnson. Doyleston Fears that a well was affecting neighbouring properties in Doyleston were unjustified, said the resource investigations manager. Mr M. J. Bowden. The well’s effect on groundwater levels in the area had been investigated.

and away from the well it would be minimal, he said. Rakaia Island lease The board has rewritten the 21-year Rakaia Island lease, to protect a 102 ha block of kowhai trees and plants of "botanical significance" on the western end of the island.. The new-clauses include a development ban and a requirement for board consent to grazing within the conservation area. Applications will be called for the new lease when the i

current one expires on October 31. ( Fish farm The board has approved water right applications for an ornamental fish farm quarantine and an abattoir near Burnhasn. The fish . farm will be allowed to ‘discharge tank water into# the ground through a soakage trench, while the abattoir can now take up to 227 cubic metres of water a. day. five days a week, at the rate of 13 litres a second from a 60m well.