WILLOWS IN WAIPA

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19659, 20 August 1935, Page 9

WILLOWS IN WAIPA

UNRESTRICTED GROWTH. LOCAL BODY 1 ADVOCACY. (Times Special Reporter). TE AWAMUTU, Monday. The widespread damage caused by the unrestricted growth of willows in the Waipa .River and its tributaries was stressed by the Otorohanga Goupty Council in a resolution forwarded N to a meeting of the Waipa County Council to-day. A united advocacy on the part of all the local bodies affected to have a scheme of eradication put- in hand by tho Government was suggested. Mr S. -C. Ma-c-ky presided, while also present were Messrs T. -Church, N. Reid, F. L. Onion, 'G. S. Clarke, W. McGee, G. Hall, D. B. Livingstone, R. J. Graham, J. T. Johnson, J. S. Fisher, the -clerk (Mr T. Grant), -and the engineer (Mr J. W. Civil). The council urged that the Government should be impressed with the necessity of a survey being made of the Waipa 'River and its tributaries with the object of the eradication of willows. It was stated that the river is the outlet to many tributaries that were controlled by drainage boards in many parts of the watershed and which were hampering operations and -causing a danger zone. It was advocated that the community affected should ask that the matter should be made -a national problem, and that owing to the burden, of unemployment taxation,- a sufficient sum from that source should bo used for the purpose of dealing effectively with the willows, any -suitable unemployed men within the watershed being engaged -at standard rates of pay. It was stated that subsequent to the passing of the resolution Mr W. J. Broadfoot, M.P., who had inspected a cpnsiderable area of the Waipa River watershed, -had intimated his willingness to attend a meeting of the Waitomo, Raglan, Otorohanga and Waipa Counties as well -as the interested drainage boards on August 22 at Te Awamutu. Mr F. L. Onion said that the -clearing of the willows might serve to lower the level of the river and its tributaries -and so alleviate drainage problems. The engineer explained that some work had been -performed on the upper reaches of the river. The chairman and Messrs Johnson and McGee were appointed the -council’s delegates at the conference that had been suggested.