EXTENDING NAVIGATION

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 69, 21 March 1916, Page 7

EXTENDING NAVIGATION

IN WATKATO KIVEK. VISIT OF DR. McNAB. Consequent upon the request by the Waikato River Board for Government assistance in making the Waikato River navigable from C ambridge to the Heads, a distance of 110 miles, the Minister for Marine (Hon. Dr. McNab) is at present inspecting the lower reaches of the river. Here the waterway is silted up, and navigation is difficult, even for boats of shallow draugnt. Of a loan of £6.000 borrowed by the Board eighteen months ago for the purpose of confining the waters at the mouth only £500 remains. The settlers how want a substantial grant from the Government, without which they arc unwilling to be further rated. The scheme in hand, besides effectively deepening the river, will drain 25.000 acres of land in the vicinity of Wbaugamarino Stream and Waikare Lake. The North River Board arranged with Hon. Dr. McNab to convey him over the ■waterway from Huntly to the estuary, and a large party left vestcrday and journeyed as far as Mercer. The Minister was accompanied by Hon. F. W. Lang and Messrs. R. F. Bollard and J. A. Young, M.P.'s, Mr. H. M. Skeet (Commissioner for Crown Lands), and other gentlemen connected with surrounding bod>es. « In a subsequent address at Mercer Hon. Dr. McNab referred to the coun- j try's financial limitations. Settlers could j lot expect as much help from the Gov- | erament now as when the war was over, j He promised, consistent with the money j at his disposal, to do all he could to [ assist the work of the Waikato Board, j However, he could not make any definite frojaiiea, " '