Water, Soil Directorate jobs lost

Press, 15 July 1987, Page 2

Water, Soil Directorate jobs lost

Eleven staff employed by the Ministry of Works’ Water and Soil Directorate in Christchurch will be out of their jobs by the end of the year. This is being repeated throughout the country as much of the present workload of the directorate is passed on to regional water and catchment boards. This year’s Budget gave them greater autonomy in designing and approving irrigation and drainage schemes.

The District Commissioner of Works, Mr Ron Grant, said that four people were employed on irrigation works, and seven on general catchment works and water resource investigations. Irrigation work had been “running down” for the last 18 months, and there was now very little left, and no new irrigation

likely within the next decade, he said. The general investigation work would also now be wound down, but brought to a state where it could be resumed without duplication in the future.

Some of the 11 staff would leave “very soon,” and the rest by the end of the year, said Mr Grant

The Water and Soil Directorate would maintain a small head office staff, to service the National Water and Soil Conservation Authority, and to deal directly with the catchment boards.

The changes do not affect the Hydrology Centre, although it is administered under the same directorate.

The Hydrology Centre, based in Christchurch, deals mainly in research work and employs 31 staff.