The Gisborne Herald. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE TIMES” GISBORNE, SATURDAY, SEPT. 16, 1944. CATCHMENT PROBLEMS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21511, 16 September 1944, Page 4

The Gisborne Herald. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE TIMES” GISBORNE, SATURDAY, SEPT. 16, 1944. CATCHMENT PROBLEMS

Three main considerations emerge from discussions on the establishment of a catchment board for Gisborne and the East Coast. The public—and more especially that part of the public that has a property stake in the district —will want to know, first, how large an area is to be embraced by the proposed catchment area; secondly, the broad outlines of the’ measures to be taken for soil conservation and rivers control; and, thirdly, how far tiic district will be committed ia expenditure on that programme. The visit to Gisborne of the chairman of the national council on soli conservation and rivers control, Mr. W. L. Newnham. undoubtedly lias helped to win confidence for the basic principle of large-scale action. In his capacity of chairman of the council and also as engineer-in-chief of the Works Department, Mr. Newnham is qualified technically and by experience to handle big problems. Those who attended Thursday’s conference in Gisborne to discuss the formation of a catchment board in this district gathered the impression that he does not under-estimate that task, nor over-estimate its difficulties. '

Gn the question of the area to b covered by the operations of the proposed board, Mr. Newnham was definite in his views. He recommended that die board should have jurisdiction from Young Nick's Head to beyond the mouth of the Waiapu Rivei-, this area including the whole of the Waiapu County. The spokesman for that county did not commit himself, but it seems likely that the arguments in favour of early participation will succeed with the Waiapu County people. This is a case where there is no strength in isolation.

Information as to methods of soi conservation and rivers control is stii being gathered in many parts of the world. Such practical steps as may be taken here within the next two o; three years must be suited to local con ditions. A complete survey of the effects of erosion ancl the tracing o this damage back to its main cause: must certainly be the first majoi work of the new catchment area authority. Hasty embarkation on ; programme of works could lead to expensive errors. The problems arc urgent, but no general state of emergency has arisen as yet. Rating as the basis of catchmen, board finance was the subject of criti cal comment by the Gisborne borough spokesman, who argued that for n task of recognised national importance the State should provide the finance Though his wish to spare the rate-' payers of this district must have been endorsed b,y all present, there was not much debating on the point. It must have appealed to many in the conference that a district administra tive body must have its own sources of finance, apart from the State, il it is to retain independence. A board administering on Government funds alone would be a local body-only-—not a local authority.

THE AWARUA SEAT

There has been no definite indication as yet that Labour .will contest the Awarua seat, which has become vacant because of the death of one of Hie most popular and highlyesteemed members of the House 01 Representatives, Brigadier Hargest. It has been suggested in some quarters that the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, who had a particularly warm personal regard for Brigadier Hargest, would prefer that, in deference to the gallant New Zealand soldier’s memory, his party should not enter the lists against the National Party’s nomination. Although a gesture of this kind would certainly do no harm to the prestige of Labour,, there can be no suggestion that the party, as far as Awarua is concerned, is bound by the agreement that the seats of members serving overseas should not be contested. In the circumstances, it is likely that the general trend of Labour sentiment will take the line that the party should be represented on the hustings, if only for the chance afforded of expounding its political philosophy and encouraging the adherents in the southern area.

The result of a by-election is often quite unpredictable, but all the evidence available at the moment points to the probability that Awarua, which is largely a rural electorate and therefore populated by a section of the community who have recently shown no fondness for the Labour platform, will be a safe seat for the National Party’s candidate, Mr. G. R. Herron, a farmer who has been identified for many years with both the producing and the marketing aspects of the dairy industry. What Mr. J. A. Lee, leader of the Democratic Labour Party, and Mr. John Hogan, decide to do about the matter should not seriously affect the issue. It is said that Mr. Lee himself would welcome a chance to contest a suitable constituency; it is doubtful, however, whether he would place Awarua in that catagory. The likelihood that the seat will be contested is strengthened by information published to-day outlining the steps it is proposed to take, to, ensure maximum possible voting by servicemen overseas. ,