TAUPIRI SWAMP AREA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21349, 25 November 1932, Page 9

TAUPIRI SWAMP AREA

SCHEME FOR DRAINAGE

DELAY CAUSES CONCERN

[FROM otnt OWN correspondent]

HAMILTON. Thursday

The delay in proceeding with the scheme for the drainage of the Taupiri swamp led to a meeting of settlers and business people being called by the Taupiri Swamp Development League to urge the Government to proceed with the scheme as soon as possible. The meeting was held to-day, Mr. A. M. Bisley presiding over an attendance of 30.

In opening the meeting; Mr. Bisley said that in July last the Government, wrote to the Taupiri Drainage Board offering to drain the Taupiri swamp and find £70,000 toward the cost, provided the board found £IO,OOO. After some delay this offer was accepted by the board and an acknowledgment of the acceptance was received. Further delay followed and lately it had been disclosed that the cause was due to the fact that the Government was making further inquiries through the Agricultut-al Department as to the prospective value of the work from a developmental point of view. Mr. Bisley said it was essential that the work should be done in the summer months and the league and the board would like to see the work undertaken without further delav.

The following resolution was carried: — "That this meeting of settlers on the Taupiri swamp and in the surrounding districts, and representatives of local bodies and of the professional and business interests of Hamilton, urges the Government to proceed immediately with the Taupiri drainage scheme in accordance with its proposal of July last. The long delay in the commencement of the work, whether due to Government departmental requirements or to the negotiations of the Taupiri Drainage and River Board, does not concern this meeting, but it considers that, the development of the Taupiri swamp is of national importance, and that the carrying out of the work by unemployed relief labour will give that class of return which the Dominion expects from the heavy impost, of unemployment taxation."

The resolution stated it was considered that the Government had in the swamp a great opportunity of increasing the primary production at a small cost, thus benefiting the financial position of the district and of the whole Dominion.

Several speakers dissented and considered that the whole of the cost should be borne by the Government or, alternatively, that the payment of the settlers' share should be deferred until produce values improved.