RIVER CONTROL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20887, 17 November 1937, Page 7

RIVER CONTROL

LOSS OF VALUABLE LAND STATEMENT BEING PREPARED (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, November 16. Discussing irrigation, the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple* said that an investigation into the possibilities of this class of public works was being exhaustively pursued. “I am still convinced,” he said, “that this is one of the best classes of work, and one from which the country will benefit. Among the problems facing the Dominion is that of river-control and river-maintenance, and I have given a good deal of thought to this. Economic Grounds “Major works of river-control and flood protection have to be largely justified on economic grounds. Works of this class have been carried out in the past by the State, and also by local authorities, the provision of finance generally being adjusted to the needs of each case. The matter of rivermaintenance, the prevention of deterioration of stream-channels, and the destruction of valuable land is a more difficult problem in that existing legislation regards such work largely is 1 a local responsibility. Statement Prepared “The department has had this matter under careful examination, and a comprehensive statement on the problem has been prepared. “In my opinion the time has arrived when the State should assume to a much greater extent the direction of this class of work. The work would be done in collaboration with the local authority or with the settlers of the authority affected. Finance would have to be arranged to suit each particular case. “One difficulty in respect to this class of work is the large number of small local authorities in any particular area dealing with river drainage matters. The question of merging these is one that must receive the serious attention of the Government. Review by Cabinet “The whole question of the rivercontrol and river-maintenance policy is now under review by Cabinet, but I can anticipate next year’s statement with the information that the Government has just authorised the immediate putting in hand of riv?r improvement and willow removal works in the Waipa basin of the Waikato River and in the Hoteo Valley of Rodney County. “Both these works are major ones, and the need for them has been apparent for some time.”