PREVENTABLE FLOOD DAMAGE
[To the Editor of Tim SPECTATOR.] do wish The Spectator would be a little more exact. A fortnight ago you made a general statement that Catch- ment Boards are crippled for lack of funds. I tried last week to show that this could not very well be true. Now, in your footnote to my letter, you say that many flood catch- ment schemes are dependent on Government grants and that it is important that the grants should be both adequate and prompt. • ,
Your critical readers' (of whom there must be many) would certainly take more notice of your statement if it were sup- ported by detailed facts. Government grants for all sorts of services are so easy to invoke that it would be refreshing if a case could be made out for this one.
Up-to-date figures of expenditure of catchment boards are not readily available but, having regard to the tremendous rateable value of the areas of most catchment boards, it would be interesting to know which catchment boards are crippled for lack of funds and what schemes could equitably be undertaken of which the cost should not be met by recoup- meat, by loan or by direct charge on the rate.—Yours faithfully,
Pcnvorn, Manor Road, Coventry, SYDNEY LARRIN,
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