LAND DRAINAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21639, 3 November 1933, Page 5

LAND DRAINAGE

THAMES VALLEY BOARD RELIEF LABOUR QUESTION [ry tklkcrath OWN correspondent] TE AROHA, Thursday A reply to a letter from the Thames V alley Drainage Board's solicitor urging that every endeavour be used to bring the Land Drainage and River Protection Bill before Parliament was received to-day by the board from the Hon. J. A. Voting, Minister of Internal Affairs. The Minister stated that thought the department was greatly interested in the subject he did not think there was any prospect of the bill being read this session. Legislation of this nature had to give way to the more economic problems which were facing the country. Since the bill had iirst been drafted, added the Minister, so many new suggestions and proposed alterations iiad come to hand that it would demand a careful revision before it could bo introduced into Parliament. The chairman of the board, Mr. F. K. Hughes, stated that the board could do little to expedite the matter. The question of placing all relief workers at present engaged by the board on drainage work, at the disposal of the Piako County Council for the purpose of combating ragwort as instructed by the unemployment officer at Auckland, was strongly criticised. Merabers complained that this action was hardly fair, as the . men employed by tho board had become experienced in the work and would be hard to replace. It was stated also that there were other men in the towns-who were available and who should be compelled to carry out the work of ragwort eradication. On the motion of the chairman it was decided to send a letter of protest, pointing out that effective drainage was a vital matter in the Thames Valley and demanded constant attention.