FISHING WATER THREATENED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 23 September 1941, Page 4

FISHING WATER THREATENED

1 MAORIS CUT RIVER RANK TROUBLE NEAR T A LEO i One of the finest stretches of fly ; I Ashing water in the Taupo district land, therefore, in the world—has been threatened, at least temporarily, by the I action of some of the local Maoris in cutting the bank of the Waitahanui j River about half a mile above the j mouth. Unless the cut is repaired, the j result will be that the river will flow. | into the lake only a few yards below l I the bridge on the Taupo-Tokaanu road., with the resultant loss of water which; normally provides sport for numerous j ! rods, states the "Herald.” j The Waitahanui River is fishable for a considerable distance upstream, but jit is the stretch from the bridge to the mouth which is .most heavily fished and j from which lur'e bags of trout are taken every season. From the bridge.; the river turns northward and runs | I parallel with the road and the shore of the lake to the mouth. The new mouth was cut one morning last week through the left- hand bank just below the bridge. When the cut 1 di: overecl by local re: ident . ca m plaint was immediately made to the ranger of the Internal Afl'airs Depart-! ment at Taupo, who undertook to send ja report to Wellington. SLI 5 ST A VITAL A\ \ I'AL PA Y i\l F NTs : Similar trouble has been experienced! jon several occasions in the past, as! (some of the Maoris have contended i j that the position of the mouth down-j j stream results in the flooding of their j land. This contention, however, has I {never been satisfactorily established.! {Anglers and local residents hold that, jas the Maoris receive substantial! {annual payments in return for fishing, rights, it should be made illegal for | them to interfere in any way with tin l j river banks, and furthermore, that' any necessary flood control works {should be carried out by the Govern[incut m such a way that they will not j all'ccl llic Fishing. STRONG ACTION NECESSARY | party of Auckland anglers attempted {to widen the normal mouth, without! I altering its position, in the belie 1 that a hoi e even flow ol ■ al< i ■ prove llu> fishing. Fliey were promptly ; stopped by a Government ollicial. In-: terlerence of a far mure damaging j character, it is held. . ImuM be an j • I rouge'- ofl'cia | act ion. | Hi not known whet her th ; i ' ' , iLimir. mill thu pci Mi ;in:rav:.tr<! !By the fact lhat the opening of t!a I Taupo fishing season is only about 1 seven weeks’ distant.