SOIL CONSERVATION

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23322, 4 October 1945, Page 4

SOIL CONSERVATION

National Policy Wanted (N.Z.P.A.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 3. Consideration of me Estimates again occupied the attention of the House ol Representatives to-night. Hie vote of £210,000 for soil conservation and rivers control, including an item of £185,000 for flood and erosion control works, brought a question irom Mr W. A. Bodkin (National, Central Otago), who asked the Minister what were the proposals to control the Clutha River. He considered that the most economical manner of controlling its waters was the erection of weirs and floodgates. Adequate control of that river would preserve valuable land, provide a means for generating electric power and provide water for irrigation in the Upper Clutha Valley. “Control of that river and the utilisation of the water will pay a very high dividend,” said Mr Bodkin. He knew of no work in the South Island more important or more urgent. Mr K. J. Holyoake (National, Pahiatua) said there was a strong rumour in circulation in his electorate to the effect that legislation would be brought down enabling a flat rate to be levied to provide finance for local catchment beards. He would an assurance from the Minister that soil conservation or rivers control was a national matter, and finance should come in the main from national taxation. The Hon. R. Semple said 10 catchment boards had so far been set up and he thought that another was required to deal with the area Mr Bodkin had discussed. Catchment boards would be enabled to use machinery owned by the Ministry of Works. Without modern machinery the boards would not perform their tasks. A representative of his department was at present on his wav to "the Pacific area where there were acres of machinery in an endeavour to buy some of i' which would be useful for flood and erosion control. If we did not buv this machinery it would probably be dumped. The Rev.. Clyde Carr (Government, Timaru > said the soil conservation bolicy should be national, but if so there was a danger that urgent local works might be held up while national jobs were contemplated. Mr E. P. Meachen (Government, Marlborough) said it was often deplored that part of New Zealand was being Washed out to sea, but, he thought that was necessary in o’-der that our foreshore could be built, up to protect us against the sea, The vital thing was that, we had to make sure it was metal and shingle which was washed to sea by our rivers and nn« fertile so il.