THE WAIMAKARIRI SCHEME.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11278, 20 May 1902, Page 6

THE WAIMAKARIRI SCHEME.

TO THE EDITOR OF THK PKESS. Sir,—At. the installation of the new Mayor, the late Mayor, after expressing regret that the City Council's Bill could not be forced through last session, is reported to have said: "The question that would have to 'be fought out sooner or later was this. Had any local body a prescriptive right to theTrater in the river -when tlrey did not it -for immediate use T Quite so. It is not, however, a question of preecrphve rights, but as to statutory rights, now possessed by the Waimakariri-Ashley Water Supply Board and the Selwyn County Councilto control al 1 the water of tbe_ river, so as to prevent interference with their sources of supply. The late Mayor forgete that the City O>unc£ proposed to take away these rights aid transf-r them by statute to itself, thus doing the very fhmg, which he d*pree;ttrs. ' U is a public injustice that two bodies who existing interests at stake should hold t he prior rights to the" water. He surely cannot think it right and proper for another local body, which has net vet •rent a s-hilKng, fc» ky lands on these nghte, eren though that body happens to be the, CSty Council. Ifce Bill wmi r d hay* given that Council the absolute right: to divert the whole water away from the north bank, on which the Boards intake is situate, and regardless of fhe quantity to be actually utilised by the Council. This also was unlimited. Mr George Harper advised the Board as follows:-"By this Bill the Citr Council seeks to obtain unlimited and unrestricted power to construct works in the bed and on rfie banks of the river for the purposes of the -works proposed to be carried out by .the Council. Jfo provisions whatever are proposed to be made by the Bill for any continuance of any supp'r of water to any works of the Board already constructed by it under the powers given " t o it by the Water Supply Acts, or tor the exercUe ofany future powers and rights as to the taking of water by s uch Board." "I am clearly of opinion that the powers sought t o be obtained by the Bill afe so utf.imitedand unrestricted tirat it wonld be possible for the City, Council, should the Bill become Jaw stands, so to construct- works in the bed or on the banks of the river wliich might divert the supply of water from the headworks.and intake constructed fbv the Board, or lessen the supply thereto " Hoir, in tie name of all" that is reasonable could the kt-e Mayor expect the two local bodies not to oppose such a BF1? Especially in tha "Water Board's case, because the City Council, when appealed to refused to give it any guarantee of snpplv," even up to the capacity of the existing teadrace.—Yours, etc., G- P. WIIdLIAiMS. Engineer and Secretary to the W.A.W.S. Board.