RIVERS AND EROSION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24613, 22 May 1941, Page 8

RIVERS AND EROSION

INVESTIGATION OF PROBLEMS NO LEGISLATION DRAFTED (P.A.) WELLINGTON. May 21. The existence of proposed legislation dealing with river control and cresion was denied by the Minister of Public Works, Mr H. T. Armstrong, in an interview this evening. Judged by the communications he had received from a number of local bodies, he said, there appeared to be an impression that the Government had a Bill dealing with this question, but that was not-so. All the Governmem had decided to do was to have,an investigation made into the whole question of river control from the point of view of the damage caused by flooding and erosion. A Select Committee of the House of Representatives, which was known as the River Control Committee, had been appointed for this purpose and the committee had just started its investigations having held its initial meeting only It was to meet again next Tuesday to hear representations from local bodies. As a basis for the investigation the Public Works Department had drafted tentative proposals. Mr Armstrong .said, but to suggest that legislation had been prepared by the Government was quite incorrect. The Government itself had not had an opportunity to con sider these proposals formulated by the department but would do so after the committee had ascertained, the views of the people most vitally affected. The committee might approve or amend the department’s proposals or it might recommend something quite different. The Minister said he realised that many local bodies had not been in a position to give a considered view sooner because of the local body elections, for the members of an outgoing local body. would naturally wish to leave a question of policy to their successors.