DREDGING CLAIMS IN SOUTH OTAGO.

Evening Star, Issue 11168, 17 February 1900, Page 6

DREDGING CLAIMS IN SOUTH OTAGO.

[SJ’JEI'IAI. TO THE iSTAH,J WELLINGTON, February 17. The ‘Post’ .'I !..mi o vtijjiig contains the following paragraph : At. this week’s meeting of the Gabmct in Wellington it wan decider! to appoint a commission to inquire into and report to the Government upon claims for compensation to properly-holders along the rivers of Otago and .'Southland where drudging operations are being carried on. This is a new departure, as hitherto all such claims have been settled by mutual agreement. The claims now sent in to the Goverment in connection with the Waikaia, Waikabtt.Tokomairiro, Chatton, Gold Creek, and other streams iu 'these districts are so numerous and extensive that the Government have thought it advisable to have them fully considered and reported upon by the Commission, whose mission it is to hear what the claimants have to advance iu support of their demands for compensation, aud then to report to the authorities the amount that should be allowed in each case, and also which rivers should, iu the interest of the mining industry, be proclaimed watercourses under the Mining Act of 1898. The claims set up iu these districts amount in the aggregate to many thousands of pounds, a larger total than has ever jet been snbmitt.d to tne Government. This, we are informed, is due to the lact that much valuable agricultural land is affected by dredging operations, but many of the claims are said to be excessive and far above the valuation put upon the land under the Government Land Valuation Aut. It may be mentioned that the Act provides that in no eise shall the total amount with respect to any claim for compensation exceed the impioved value of the land as valued under the Government L«nd Valuation Act.