But before we squabble .

Southland District councillor John Douglas opines that the greater cost of the subsurface scheme over the centre point irrigator for the Te Anau wastewater should be met by the residents of the area. I agree with his sentiments, which should be applied to the overrun costs of the Round the Mountain Trail born therefore by his constituents in Garston, Athol, Lumsden and Mossburn.

But before we squabble about who pays what, how about actually ascertaining the cost of the subsurface proposal.

There is no resource consent for this method of disposal, and there is a world of difference between evenly spreading water over a square metre to pouring it down a single hole in the middle that the subsurface proposal does.

The conditions of a consent for that method will determine the cost.

Running off before all the t’s are crossed and i’s dotted can end up expensive as witnessed by the third stage of the Te Anau Manapouri Bike Trail, which has had an abatement notices served against it because it crosses a gully (‘‘wetland’’) potentially incurring remedies that may approach the original cost of the stage.

When it comes to any sort of land works there is always somebody who wants to get picky particular, a fact that Ruth Shaw, spokesperson proponent of the subsurface scheme should be aware, because often as not that somebody is her good self.

Mervyn Cave