RIVERS CONTROL

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 136, 11 June 1942, Page 6

RIVERS CONTROL

COUNCIL SET UP

PRELIMINARY WORK

The personnel of the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council, set up in accordance with the terms of the Act passed last session, was announced today by the Minister of Public Works (Mr. Arm- * strong). The Minister said that during the war it is not intended to undertake any actual flood control projects, but io confine activities to preliminary work. ; The council has been constituted as follows; — The Engineer-in-Chief of the Public Works Department (Mr. W. L, Nswnham), chairman; the Under-Secretary for Lands (Mr. R. G. Macmorran).; Mr. T G. G. Beck, District Engineer of the j Public Works Department, ~ Christchurch; Mr. J. Callesen, Palmerston North, chairman of the ManawatuOroua River Board, representing rivers and drainage and catchment jboards; Mr. G. A, Monk, of Reikorangi; chairman of the Horowhenua County Council, representing local authorities other than river boards, etc.; Mr. ( A. J. Davey, of Waitohi, Temuka, member j of the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, representing agricultural and pastoral interests.

"The four last-named men," said Mr. Armstrong, "have been appointed by the Governor-General on |my recommendation. As the Minister of Public Works, the administration of the Act is under my control, and the En-gineer-in-Chief, as the chief executive officer of the Department, is this natural choice for the appointment of chairman. The Public Works Department has for many years made a -special study of flood control problems, and has been responsible either directly or indirectly for most of the major work carried out. The Under-Secretary for Lands is an appointee under, the Act, and his long experience in flood control work, and the fact that 'a very big percentage of the land which will have to be dealt with is under the control of his Department, makes him an essential member of the council. Mr. T. G. G. Beck, who is well: known as the former irrigation engineer who was mainly responsible for the design and construction of the large imga-; tion works in Canterbury (urifortun- i ately partly held up by the war) | made a special study of flood control and soil conservation problems while |in America some years,ago, and this experience will be of great value to the council. i "Mr. Callesen. of Palmerston, North, has been a member of the ManawatuOroua River Board since 1933 and has, been chairman for the last f out years.! He has had long experience in flood | control work, and the board: under! his direction has in recent years cari ried out a progressive programme of flood control work. Mr. G. A.; Monk, !of Reikorangi, Wellington, has been | !a member of the Horowhenua jCounty Council for 30 years, of which .for the last 27 years he has been chairman. He, has been a member and chairman of the Horowhenua Power Board; since its inception 19 years ago^ He lias also been a member of the Palmerston North Hospital Board I'or the | last 25 years, a member of the executive of the New Zealand Counties' Associai tion, a member of the executive of the [New Zealand Power Boards' Association, and a member of the Board of I Health. . ! "Mr. A. J. Davey, of Waitohi, Temuka, is a member of the Dominion executive of the New Zealand! Farmers' Union and past-president, of the South Canterbury Provincial Council. He is a member of the Gejraldine County Council and also a member of the Timaru Harbour Board. I REPRESENTATIVE BOD3T. "It wiil be seen," said the Minister, "that the various interests which have to be provided for under the Act are well represented by the men selected for the respective positions. TJie appointments have not been made! earlier on account df the fact that some of the local bodies concerned were ] unable |to make their recommendations until recently; also on account of tiie fact that, during the war, it will mot be possible to carry out other than preliminary work, and no actual flopd conj trol projects can be undertaken. Our first job is to win the war. ) "However, there is a vast amount of i preliminary work which can be I undertaken, if the war work.of the membersof the council enables it to be. j.underj taken, but in any case, some.'" staff? can be appointed, when they are available, to undertake some of thisworkl The Minister added that in making | his recommendations to the fGover- | nor-General he had had to leave out ! many suitable names. In the selection of the council a great many had to be taken into account, and his opinion was that a thoroughly Jpraetical and experienced council had been chosen, and one which would dta very good work, and at least build the foundations for a programme of ;;odl conservation and river control work which was so vital to this country, j The Minister thanked local authorities, Government Departments, 4°d the Rivers Control Committee of the House of Representatives for their assistance.