CANTERBURY DEPUTATIONS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12586, 22 August 1901, Page 5

CANTERBURY DEPUTATIONS.

.HARNESSING THE WAIMAKARIRI. PROTEST FROM COUNTRY DISTRICTS. WHITE’S BRIDGE. [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, August 21. The country districts have net been long in protesting against the Bid now before the House for harnessing- the Waimakariri in the service of Christchurch. A deputation waited on The Premier to-day. It consisted of Messrs Buddo, Meredith, Hardy, and G. W. Russell, members of the House of Representatives, and the Chairman, Engineer, and a member (Mr Dixon) cl the Waimahariri-Ashley Water Supply Board, and it pointed out to the Premier that the Waimahariri-Ashky scheme would be killed if the Bill passed in its present shape, as would also the water supply of the Selwyn County Council. The Premier said that the Bill would receive the fullest discussion in the House, and he. had no doubt a way would be found out of the difficulty. Another deputation was introduced to the Premier by Messrs Buddo and Meredith. They had been thrown into great alarm by a departmental note informing them that the subsidy for White’s Bridge would be only £2OOO. This, they pointed out, was contrary to the understanding and promise, which was of a £ for £ subsidy, and the cost would be £5200. The Premier agreed that a promise of £ lor £ up to £5200 had been made, and reassured the deputation by promising that such subsidy would be forthcoming to the extent of £2600.