REPLY TO BOARD

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 56, Issue 32938, 17 December 1947, Page 5

REPLY TO BOARD

POLLUTION OF STREAM

COMPANY INDIGNANT

POSITION AT DAIRY FACTORY

The general manager and secretary of the Morrinsville Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltd., has written to the chairman

of the Hauraki Catchment Board regarding an alleged pollution of the Waitakaruru stream, as reported in

this paper. The letter has been forwarded to the Press. In the main it reads:— “ In view of the adverse and inaccurate statements in regard to the matter we are taking this opportunity of placing before you and your board the full facts. “ The casein factory at Motumaoho referred to is, of course, owned and operated by this company and, con-

trary to what your Mr Davidson is reported to have said, farmers did not enter into manufacture there without due consideration of all that was involved. Particularly the drainage aspect. The fullest enquiries were made in this regard before the final arrangements were made. It will interest your board to know that during the wartime period of the drive for cheese 50 per cent, more whey was disposed of in this river (for two seasons) than during the current season. But at that time there was not the impedimenta in' the river nor was the weather just as dry as has obtained during this spring.

a That some of the board members, speaking without evidence, should use street talk to support their opinions is difficult to understand. Another apparently unjustifiable action is why your board should merely 1 pass the buck;’ to the Health Department before approaching this company—and the others referred to in the petition received—to ascertain the facts. However, may we give them to you:— “ (a) The drainage problem was fully investigated before casein manufacture was commenced and the company received all assurances, that this was sound before proceeding with manufacture.

“(b) That, as we acknowledge, there is a stream deter 1 ration problem caused in the Waitakaruru and Pinko streams by reason of various drainage disposal systems—piggeries, sewerage, slaughterhouses, dairy Victories and dumps. “ (c) The allegation made to Mr Rushton by a factory (or perhaps an. ex-factory) employee, that thousands of gallons of skim-milk were dumped into the river during the early part of the season is, as previously indicated, open to serious question. To our knowledge such has not occurred since or during the last four months, and we strongly oppose and resent the implication that this has been even a contributory factor to the problem.

Health Discussions

“ (d) That immediately this company was made aware of the problem, and, incidentally, no mention was made in regard to the whole matter until November 20, some months after our casein operations commenced, we took steps to discuss the matter with the health officers. To assist in the solution of the problem arrangements have already been made, without regard to expense, to eliminate as much unclean drainage as possible from the Motuniaoho factory. If other contributors to the channel act as quickly —and in this comment we include your board —the problem would quickly disappear. We should be happy to show board members just what we are doing in this regard.

“ (e) While we cannot see any real relevancy in the discussion relating to pigs and pig prices, always substantial quantities of whey from our factory have been fed to pigs, and plans are in train to apply further quantities in the near future.”