WAIHI WATER SUPPLY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 135, 7 June 1907, Page 5

WAIHI WATER SUPPLY.

PROTECTION OF MINING INTERESTS. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WAIHI, this day. ■When the Minister of Lands recently visited Waihi a deputation waited upon him asking tha£ an area of 1900 acres might be reserved for water supply purposes for the WaiM borough. Since then the Minister has communicated with Mr. Bush, the warden, who in turn has replied to the effect that he i 3 prepared to assist the borough as far as lies in his power to conserve the water supply, but at the same time, as the land in question lies within a mining district, he cannot eoc.-mpt it entirely from any mining operation which it may be necessary to carry on in the near future. He points out that at least 5000 of Waihi's population depend upon the Waihi Company's mine for a living. If the goldproducing ores of that mine ran out and the company had to shut "down, the population of Waihi would in six months be reduced to under a thousand. This proposed water area, if available for mining, might then prove the salvation of the locality. The local municipal authority and inhabitants would have to be satisfied under the circumstances with allowing the present position to continue, the warden in thj£ meantime to exercise every precaution as well as the Commissioner of Crown Lands for the district not to grant any right upon the area.