OTAGO CATCHMENT DISTRICT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26198, 8 July 1946, Page 2

OTAGO CATCHMENT DISTRICT

Sir,—lt is refreshing to meet Southlanders. They all seem to have a " Southland ” outlook. They always speak of Southland and consistently act together in all things pertaining to the welfare of their province. This was emohasised when the Southland Catchment District, embracing 11,000 square miles, was recently constituted—lnvercargill raised no objections to its inclusion. I regret to say that in Otago there is a different story. In its desire to keep Dunedin aloof from any country catchment' district, the Works Committee of the Dunedin City Council has displayed a purely ’’ Dunedin ” outlook. This is unfortunately true at a time when the closest co-operation between town and country is so necessary. The local bodies in the Clutha River watershed are firmly convinced that soil conservation and rivers control throughout OtagO are, under existing legislation, a provincial responsibilitv, and would be carried out more expeditiously, more eifiicently. and more economically if administered by one catchment board only.

Perhaps the position can be summed up in these words: Ratepayers in the proposed Otago Catchment District are not in any way responsible for the necessity of the remedial work about to be undertaken and the great majority of county and rural borough ratepayers throughout Otago will not benefit in any way whatsoever from catchment board expenditure. In many cases their properties are almost as remote from the Clutha and Taieri Rivers as Dunedin and all they ask is that they be put on the same rating basis as the people of Dunedin. I fail to see why there should be any objection to this very fair proposal which is designed to ensure that every ratepayer in Otago would pay his fair share and no more.—l am. etc.,

Richard S. Thompson Wetherstones, July 5.