515Removal of obstructions in watercourses outside the district

1. Where any watercourse under the control of the council extends beyond the limits of the district, and its obstruction is likely to cause loss of life, injury, or damage to property within the district, the council may, by notice in writing, require the occupier or, where there is no occupier, the owner of any land on the banks of the river, stream, or watercourse for a distance of 1 500 metres beyond the upstream boundary or downstream boundary of the district to remove any earth or stone, and any driftwood, tree, shrub, or bush, or any part thereof, impeding the free flow of water in that watercourse, or to lower or trim any part of a tree, shrub, or bush overhanging that watercourse and likely to fall therein, within the space of the aforesaid 1 500 metres.

2. Subsections (2) to (7) and (9)(b) of section 511 shall apply with respect to every notice under this section as if it were a notice given under subsection (1) of the said section 511.

3. In this section the terms obstruction and remove have the same meanings as in section 511(9).