Vízügyi Közlemények, 1947 (29. évfolyam)

1-4. szám - VI. Szakirodalom

ACCOUNT OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE WATER BOARD OF THE HUNGARIAN MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE YEARS OF 1945 AND 1946. (See the Hungarian text on pages 'i to 40) D. C. 354.83 (439) (047) : 626/627 Hungary is one of those countries of liurope which suffered must during World War II. Fig. 1 shows the duration of the struggles which took place in the land. It may be perceived from this chart that in about one third of the country the war activities lasled longer than 30 days, and in certain places even longer than 3 months. The destruction was felt by the country as a whole, including, of course, the hydraulic service. Fig. 2 shows the damages suffered by the country, the total of which amounts to 44 per cent of the agregate national wealth. From the point of view of the hydraulic service it is of the greatest concern, since 43,000 m. of bridge construction were laying in the river beds. In a country of lowland character like Hungary, 25 per cent of which is compelled to defend itself against floods, and can maintain its agriculture by artifical drainage of the surplus water only, this was a very serious situation. The agricultural population on whose shoulder rested in the past to the full extent the defence against floods and inland waters (according to Hungarian law only the improvement of navigable rivers and border streams constitutes the task of the state) has suffered immense losses the agregate of which may be perceived from the data concerning the live stock stated on the right hand side of fig. 2. Fig. 3 is to prove the extent and the results of the land reform of 1945. The distribution of the land involved 34'6 per cent of the area of the country, and the new land owners were too weak financially to be expected to contribute to the defence costs as provided by law. The activities of the hydraulic offices were naturally greatly affected by the e facts, and calls urgently for drastic changes in the hydraulic policy of the country. In Fig. 4 we wish to point out the greatest handicap in the hydraulic works and in all creative activities in general: the unheard of inflation of 1946. Before the stabilization and the introduction of the new Florin (Forint) currency on August 1, 1946, on account of the rapid depreciation of the money any constructive work was out of question. The account of our activities for the period of the last two years actually involves only work which was accomplished during the period from August 1st to December 31st, 1946, since prior to this time the rebuilding upon the ruins, the restoring of office shelter fit to use, the rearranging of the scattered records and documents, the repossession of the équipement to the most minimal extent, and the priming up of the governmental machinery in general consumed the full energy of the service. In Fig. 5 we wish to visualize the organization of the Hungarian Water- Board with the aid of a thoroughly English text. Hydraulic administration is almost entirely under the control of the Ministry of Agriculture; the Hydraulic Main Department administers problems such as hydraulic matters, financial and legal supervision of the flood control associations and of fisheries, while the Hydraulic Technical Main Department's activities are threefold: 1. planning of hydraulic works on large scale (artificial water-