WASHDYKE LAGOON

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19943, 30 October 1934, Page 5

WASHDYKE LAGOON

SANCTUARY OR OTHERWISE As a means of providing work for the unemployed, a suggestion was made to a meeting of the Timaru Unemployment Committee a short time ago that an effort should be made to drain Washdyke Lagoon and make available a fair amount of land. In this connection, the committee last night received a letter from the secretary of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society stating that the lagoon was a sanctuary for wild life and any interference would have the effect of seriously affecting the native birds in this part of the Dominion. It was felt that the committee would appreciate that any action on these lines should be very carefully considered before being undertaken, and that the representations of the Society would be appreciated. The Mayor (Mr T. W. Satterthwaite) said that a petition had been before the committee in regard to draining the lagoon, and this had been forwarded to the Minister, but so far no reply had been received. It was understood, however, that even if the lagoon was drained, it would not be drained dry. It was proposed to drain only 2000 acres, so that in that event, the interests of the Society would be safeguarded. Mr J. G. Leckie said that the lagoon was not a sanctuary, but merely a resting place for the birds. There were 2000 acres of land there which he believed could be made productive, and it would be reproductive work. The lagoon was no more a sanctuary than the sea. The Society had declared

sanctuaries at Milford, Washdyke and Wainoni, and only for people with private ponds, where they were givingenough feed to the birds to keep the unemployed for half the winter. A sanctuary was a place for birds to breed, and they could not do that on r tidal waters. In any case, the land 5 was more valuable than the birds, l The Mayor said that the letter disb tinctly stated that the lagoon was a 3 sanctuary. 1 The matter was not further discussed.