Clean Harbours.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 941, 11 December 1933, Page 6

Clean Harbours .

New Leqislation.

Minister Hopes to Stop

Pollution.

(“ Star ” Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, December 11. XT EXT SESSION the Minister of Marine (the lion J. G. Cobbe) intends to bring before the House a measure giving to harbour boards the power to prevent sewage being dumped in their harbours —power that was eliminated from the Harbours Amendment Act by the Local Bills Committee. The Minister explained in the House on Saturday that he had agreed to the dropping of the clause solely because he feared that if it were retained in the Bill the whole measure would be endangered. In stating that he thought that harbour boards should have the right to say what was to be dumped into harbours, Mr 11. T. Armstrong (Christchurch East) said that the elimination of the clause was due to the work of one man—the solicitor to the Municipal Association, Mr J. O'Shea. With this clause removed from the Bill it seemed to him that shipmasters would be able to spill oil or dump ashes in harbours at their own free will. It would even be possible for local bodies to have rubbish dumped over the end of wharves. The Harbours Association had been prepared to submit any disputes concerning the disposal of rubbish or sewage to arbitration, and this system had worked admirably in the past. There had been no objection to this system until the present, and the whole opposition had been engineered by one man. Effect of Clause. Mr R. M’Keen (Wellington South) denied that the opposition had been engineered by one person, and pointed out that there was authority already to prevent the pollution of harbours. The effect of the clause which had been eliminated had been to give harbour boards the right to order the instant disconnection of sewage pipes and other outlets. This action would possibly cost other local authorities thousands of pounds. If the Harbours Association would meet the Municipal Association on the subject, a way out could be found. It was not fair to blame one man for the elimination of the clause. Mr Armstrong: He got it struck out; there is no doubt about that. Replying to the debate, the Minister said that he had had numerous objections to the clause. Although it had been deleted, the existing law concerning pollution of harbours was not affected. The Bill was read a second time. When the committee stages were reached. "Mr Armstrong repeated his charge that one man alone was responsible for the elimination of the clause. The short title of the measure was passed and further consideration in committee was postponed.