TAIERI DRAINAGE

Evening Star, Issue 14512, 2 November 1910, Page 12

TAIERI DRAINAGE

BILL READ SECOND TIME

[From Our Parliamentary Rei’oeter.]

WELLINGTON, November 2,

The second reading of the Taieri Land Drainage Bill came on for second reading late last night. The Prime Minister, in moving it, referred to the fact that it had been found impossible to carry tho work on under one Board. Ho reviewed the history of tho whole business, and explained tho provisions tho Bill contained to moot tho trouble that had arisen. Mr Allen said the Government had made a mistake in sending tho Crown rangers Buckhurst and Lundius to reclassify the land. If it was not interference on the part of the Government, it was encouraging differences ampng tho people, and stimulating difficulties that were bound to crop up. Tho provisions of the Bill were imperfect and excessively unfair. The kindest thing to have done to tho Taieri people would have been to carry out the recommendations of tho Commissioners, and allow tho work to go on. The chief defect of tho Bill was that it placed East Taieri at the . mercy of the County Council. During subsequent stages of the discussion there wore at ono time only twelve members in tho Chamber, and Mr Witty mentioned that tho witnesses who appeared before tho Lands Committee had fought like Kilkenny cats, but this Bill would satisfy them. Mr Wilford, in the course of a long speech, said that ono effect of tho Bill would bo that tho contracts for tho construction of the contour channel would bo terminated. The Hon. T. Mackenzie said tho, whole problem of tho North and East Taieri was to, keep the Silverstroam open and to connect with tho Taieri River. The problem of East Taieri was a small ono. Tho Minister dealt with tho arguments of botli Mr Wilford and Mr Allen. The whole trouble arose, lie said, through tho measure not being a local Bill.

Tho second reading was agreed in