Prompt: Action For River Control, Soil Conservation

Northern Advocate, 18 November 1941, Page 8

Prompt: Action For River Control, Soil Conservation

[Special to “Northern Advocate” 1 WELINGTON, This Day. The Minister for Public Works (Mr. Armstrong) has taken prompt steps to bring into operation the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act passed during the recent session. Local authorities concerned in these problems have been invited to submit nominations of the two members of the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council to represent their interests on this body, the principal authority in carrying out the provisions of the measure. In addition to the two local authority representatives, who will be appointed by the Governor-General on ' the Minister’s recommendation, the council wiii comprise a representative of agricultural and pastoral interests, the engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department, the Under Secretary for Lands and an officer of the Public Works Department. From Natural Angle This central body will view the problems from the national angle, and it will advise the Minister regarding the constitution of catchment boards throughout the Dominion These boards will report to the council on the organisation of river protection and soil conservation in their areas, and as a result it is expected that there will be amalgamations of, and even dissolutions of, some existing river and drainage boards, whose functions may be vested in the catchment board of the district Discussing the operations of the new measure, the Minister remarked that keen interest is being taken in the formation of the council, and when he has received all the nominations it will be duly constituted. "The North and South Islands present different problems when it comes to soil conservation and river con trol," he said. “The shingle river is mostly found in the South Island, though there are some examples in the north where the erosion and drainage problems are of a different character.” Payment by Subsidy, Rates Financing the future operations of the new bodies will be another problem. There is provision in the law for continuance of local rating for river protection and land drainage, but Mr. Armstrong pointed out that there is not likely to be the same smooth financial path as was the case with the Main Highways Board, which was set up with an independent income from petrol and tyre taxes. “The income for operating the new Act will come from Government subsidy and local rates, the catchment boards having rating power,” he said, “and I expect that the council will recommend to the Government the proportion of the expenditure which should be met from local funds.”