THAMES HARBOUR. THE QUESTION OF SILTING.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 129, 27 November 1909, Page 6

THAMES HARBOUR. THE QUESTION OF SILTING.

Mr. H. Poland, M.P., this morning introduced to the Minister for .Public ,Wcrks a deputation from the Thames in regard to the harbour and river •ilting difficulties. Mr. Scott said the Paeroa people, in conjunction with the Thames, thought it desirable to come down, and urge tho Minister to do something to prevent the silting up the Thames Harbour. The rivers -were fast silting up, and th& 'harbour was now being filled up. The Hon. E. M'Kenzie said he did Hot see how it was possible to preserve ifche fishing industry as long as the tailings go into the rivers. There was no doubt that the harbour was being affected. Did it not strike the Thames Harbour Board that it had a good case against those who polluted the harbour? Had they attempted to find a legal remedy? In his opinion they would have a. good case. There were three parties concerned — the party that did the damage, the party that suffered, and the Government. There was no doubt that the Thames harbour was being affected, and the board might stop it in the .way he had indicated. It would be a, serious matter, of course, if the mining industry v.-as crippled. There was * possibility of emptying the tailings down on to the East Coast, but that meant a- scheme involving an expenditure of about £150,000. All the Cabinet ■Ministers had visited the locality, and were agreed that great damage was being done. He did not see that they could in any way lay a claim on the general taxpayer. It was the peopie concerned, or the people- who had done the damage, who must be called upon. 'As soon as Cabinet bad settled the financial difficulty, the way would be clear. The department had information from every part of the world on the question o? the disposal of mining tailings. The Government was thinking of appointing a- Koyal Commission to go into the question of the best means of disposing of tailings. The- Government would go into the whole matter before long.