RIVERS CONTROL BILL AMENDMENT PASSED BY HOUSE

Wanganui Chronicle, 4 October 1946, Page 5

RIVERS CONTROL BILL AMENDMENT PASSED BY HOUSE

(P.A.) Parliament Bldgs., Oct. 2. Mr. R. M. Algie (Opp., Remuera), resuming the adjourned debate on the second reading of the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives to-day, suggested an amendment by provision for the right of appeal by the small bodies whose dissolution was proposed, rather than the only chance of appeal which they would have if the Bill remained as presented. The Misister of Works, Mr. R. Semple? said he would be glad to discuss the suggested amendment. He added that certain other amendments were to be made in the Legislative Council.

The Minister said he believed that many river and drainage boards would voluntarily go out of existence. They knew that the job was too big for them, and would be happy to hand it over. The challenge of river control was becoming more serious every year.

As millions of tons of shingle were washed down the rivers the mouths became blocked, scour ceased, the velocity of the rivers diminished, and shingle was deposited higher uty raising the bed. Banking was only a partial solution, and in many cases was only tinkering with the effects and neglecting the cause. In some places the bottom of rivers was higher than the surrounding country. Another serious aspect was soil erosion, and unless such destruction was stopped there would be no room for more population in the Dominion, and no hope of more production. The only possible way of clearing the mouths of rivers was by the use of draglines, such as those obtained from the United States. The Bill was read a third time, put through the remaining stages and passed.