COAL POINT HARBOUR.
— « — There was a large att3ndance in M'Govern's Hall, Kaitangata, on Monday evening, when Mr W. H. Mackenzie delivered an address on the question of opening up tho Clutha river at Coal Point and urging Kaitangata's representation on the Clutha River Board. A fair sprinkling of ladies were amongst those present. The Mayor, Mr W. M. Shore, presided, and Messrs James Allen and T. Mackenzie, M.H.Rs., and W. Smaill, and Crs. H. Hitchon, H. Kerr, H. Kirby, and W. Wilson occupied seats on the platform. The Chairman said he had great, pleasure in presiding that evening. He was glad to see such a large audience ; it showed that those present at any rate took some interest in the subject matter of the meeting. Mr W. H. Mackenzie, who was cordially received, expressed his pleasure at' seeing such a large attendance, and said he took it as indicative of the interest taken in the object of the meeting, and was acheery augury for the accomplishment of that object the goal of which was the I amhition of his life. The success of any object depended upon the energy and | enthusiasm of our public men. Doing his i portion in that direction, and as one who had taken some interest in public affiiirs, ho had called the people of Kaitangata together to consider a matter of great importance to them all — viz., representation of Kaitangata on the Clutha River Board, and the opening up of the river mouth. The river was under the control of the Clutha River Board of conservators. Thu Hrst question that arost*; was whether that board was doing its duty in not compelling Kaitangata to be represented. Some little time ago he made one of a deputation to the board on the subject of opening up tho river mouth. The report of the engineer was favourable, but the board were divided on tho matter ; they had no immediate interest in regard to it. He had spoken to one or two members of the board on the subject, but they knew nothing as to the powers and duties of their trust, and did not care to incur any responsibility. He had therefore looked up the laws on the powers and duties of the board, and this he found a very difficult matter for there were so many different enactments, and amendments on the subject. First of all he found that the board had an endowment of 50,200 acres set aside by proclamation on July 22, 1870. The act of 1870 referred to an ordinance governing the trust, which was to have been passed, but which never was passed. The act of 1875 vested the endowment, and sections 3 and 4 referred to the districts to be represented on the board, but there was no mention of Kaitangata. That was 19 years ago, when Kaitangata was not so important as it is now. Section 26 of the same act gave Balclutha the right to discharge its sewerage into the river. Reverting to section 6 it laid down the powers and duties of the board, amongst others, to do all things necessary to open up the river, and making the board a harbour board for Port Molyneux harbour. Then this act was in a measure superseded by the act of 1884, which also said how the board was to be constituted, but again no mention of Kaitangata. In 1885 there was another amendment, and in 1888 the boundries of the district were extended further up the river, still leaving Kaitangata uiiDresented. Now, whp lever reasons may have existed for ignoring Kaitanfata in 1*875 they did not exist in 1884 and 1888. The rents and proceeds of the endowments were to be paid over to the board for the purposes of the act, and the river came under the board as regards overflow or break in banks. Had Kaitangata been included in the board all the bank of the river there would have been protected by the board. Referring shortly to the acts named ; those of 1874 and 1855 defined the purposes and powers of river boards. The act of 1884 restricts these powers. It would appear that this act diverged from the intention of the original acts. The funds of the board were, however, expended in opening the river in the upper reaches. The conclusion was inevitable that in 1885 certain monies had been spent illegally for it was observable that •attempts had been made to legalise the expenditure of funds already spent. There were also insidious clauses in other acts. The conclusion was forced upon him that the sooner a new consolidating bill was passed the better, especially for the members of the board themselves, who had to administer the act. The present law was a cobweb of complications hiding its original construction — a parasitical fungus — a barbarous monstrosity on the blue books of New Zealand. " We wanted a new act defining the powers and duties of the board, and embracing Kaitangafa in its representation. Was Kaitangata going to lie idly by while other parts of the river were being opened up and attended to. They have an amazon of wealth flowing past their doors. The hour •was now ripe for bestirring themselves in the. matter. Harbours had been made where they ought not to have been made, and they had not been made where they ought to have been made. Here we had a river standing in the volume of its discharge eighth in the world, with plenty of scour and no back-wash. The late Captain Best had said he could dip fresh water from the Clutha a mile out at sea.
No dredge waa required to keep tho channel clear. Inside the bar they had a clear flow of 26ft, up to 35ft, and the shallowest part of the bar was 6ft, or 12ft at high tide, and it quickly dipped to 60ft or 70ft. Here they had a river six times as large as the Thames waiting to be developed. It was a near-sighted policy to say a harbour there would interfere with the railway. The day would come when they would look back and wonder why they had been so late in this matter. The capital was at command now to open it up. He had enough enterprise himself to guarantee it being opened up with foreign and local money. Why it would almost answer the purpose now so far as collier boats were concerned, if they only had the p^ort recognised as such, for the purposes of insurance etc. All they wanted was tho shoal deepened at an estimated cost of L2OOO, and even that money would only be wanted bit by bit. But supposing it cost 10 times that amount it was only a bagatelle to the amount that had been spent on some of the other harbours. If they had a river like the Clutha at Home did they think it would be allowed to flow idly by 1 Why we actually found them locking in the sea for the Manchester ship canal at a cost of 15 millions. Here nature had provided a highway free past their very doors. Cheap transi.t meant increased production, and increased production meant increased wealth to the community. He counselled them to brace themselves up and seize the opportunity that nature laid at their feet only waiting to ' be handled and developed. Mr Mackenzie was warmly applauded both at the conclusion and during the delivery of his address. Mr W. iSmaill (Hawthorn Den) moved — " That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that a special bill should be introduced clearly defining the powers and duties of the Clutha River Board, and with extended jurisdiction to embrace Kaitangata and riding, and the opening up of the river at its mouth for navigation ; that this resolution be forwarded to the Government, praying that the matter be attended to this session, also to Messrs Jas. Allen and T. Mackenzie, M.H.R. 's. Mr T. Dixon seconded tlie motion. Though ouly a stranger amongst them ho urged them not to let the matter rest where it, was. Mr Jas. Allen, M.H.R., said the resolution divided itself into two parts, on one of which he could speak, but as regards the other he confessed he knew little. The necessity for the representation of Kaitangata on the river board was patent to everyone. It was very unfair that Kaitangata was not represented on the board. Why it had not been included along with other districts he did not know. Thero was no doubt that a Consolidating Act was necessary. It would take a lawyer, and a very good one he should say, to toll all the powers and duties of tho board. It seemed to {-him that section 6 of the Act of 1875, which had never been amended, gave them all they wanted. Then as to the feasibility of the scheme for opening up the month. That was a matter he confessed he did not know much about. It was a question for an engineer. It was right for them, however, to consider the question in all its bearings. There was no doubt the opening of a harbour there would make the district subject to rates, ao that in considering all the advantages they must also consider as to whether the cost was within their means — that was, of course, if the funds of the river board were not adequate or available. If they were fully satisfied on that point, then by all means go on with the scheme, and he would do all in his power to assist them. Mr T. Mackenzie said the insidious clatises referred to by Mr W. H. Mackenzie were really necessary in the interests of the trust and were for legitimate objects : some of them to enable the trust to road and survey their endowments, which otherwise could not be profitably disposed of. That Kaitangata should be represented on the board ho considered a right and a proper thing, and he did his best to accomplish this in 1888. If a harbour could be made at the cost estimated — L2OOO — which, however, he doubted — it should be done by all means. He would give the matter his best consideration, but if he found that it meant a crushing rate ho would approach it very carefully. We had enough of such drawbacks in the meantime. He would say, however, that the matter wag deserving of support if it presented a fair prospect of success. The Chairman said he tried hard to get Kaitangata represented on the board in 1888. It was a matter worthy of notice that under the present rating Act they were liable to be rated by the river board, up to 2s in the £, and yet they had no say in the matter. He had written to the Government urging that a consolidating measure should be passed, but could get no promise. The Government said the member for the district should take the matter up. Mr W. H. Mackenzie said the revenue of the board was L7OO or LBOO, and they had a capital value of perhaps L 20.000 which could be raised on their endowments. Independent of that a limited liability company would take the matter up if they had the powers and facilities. He regarded the prospect of a rate as very far away indeed. Mr T. Mackenzie, M.H.R., wished to say that a private member could never succeed in carrying a measure of such importance. The Government was the proper party te take it in hand. The motion was then put and carried unanimously. Votes of thanks to Mr W. H. Mackenzie and the Mayor for presiding concluded the meeting.
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Bibliographic details
Clutha Leader, Volume XX, Issue 1032, 4 May 1894, Page 6
Word Count
1,962COAL POINT HARBOUR. Clutha Leader, Volume XX, Issue 1032, 4 May 1894, Page 6
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