THE WAIMAKARIRI SCHEME

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11110, 31 October 1901, Page 2

THE WAIMAKARIRI SCHEME

The Waimakariri scheme was again before the Selwyn County Council yesterday. The Chairman K. Westenra) said he had been asked on certain occasions ■whether the ; City Council in offering to give the sixty head of water to the county, was offering as much water as the law allowed the Council to take. This was not so; the Council was entitled to a great deal more. Mr MciHaffie said he had been entirely under a misapprehension on the matter. He now found that the Selwyn County Council had a right to half the water in the river, and had he known this he should ihave voted in a quite different way at hist meeting. He now agreed, that tie' members who opposed the requests of the City Council were quite right in doing so. p The farming community were,very largely interested, and their rights must be conserved. At certain seasons of the year there was certainly enongh water for all, but when it did happen to run short, who was to take the second place? It was certainly not the Seiwyn County Council, to do so.-- • Mr Witty said it was a sin to see the water t&ey did not want going to waste. So long as the farmers got all they wanted, let the city take what it required; but the farmers must be £r%t. -The Chairman said he must attend first of alt to the rights of the ratepayers, and see that their supply of water was not endangered. ; Koine other remarks were made, and the matter dropped.