WAIKATO RIVER

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 67, 19 March 1918, Page 7

WAIKATO RIVER

' ITS POTENTIALITIES.

(BITELEQRAPH.—SPECIAL: TO THE POST.)

AUCKLAND, This Day. The Hon. T. M. Wilford, who as Minister for Marine, made a. tour of inspection of the Waikato Biver last -week, was _ greatly impressed with the possibilities of that -waterway, from a. navigation point of view. In a speech at the conclusion of the trip he said that some people had raised the point of competition with the railways, bur. this would have no weight whatever with him a» Minister for Marine in considering the question of providing better facilities for the landing of goods for settlers on various parts of the Waikato River. Should such a waterway be a success.? Ha considered it should. '.'I- am out to help_ New \Zealand," he declared, '"by helping in an improvement of navigation on tho Waikato. I believe it is worth •holding, that it is. a national work, and that it is my duty to help it. The ■question is how can I help? You must not ask me to waste public money on the visionary schemes of men with -theories, but you should present to me .sound, solid proposals on which a d>eI finite scheme can be based. They should sink_ all' differences oi opinion in connection with navigation and drainage -problems, and go to the Government with a scheme upon which all were agreed. He would take the first opportunity of raising the question of a Royal Commission to consider the question. "I go back to 'Wellington," he ;said. "an absolute convert to the unlimited possibilities of your river.' 1