CLUTHA RIVER EMPOWERING ACT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11301, 20 December 1898, Page 6

CLUTHA RIVER EMPOWERING ACT.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,—l have carefully perused the leading article in the Otago Daily Times of the ltun inst. relative To'the Clutha River Empowering Act. From the tone of it, I infer that it has been written from information supplied rather than from personal knowledge, and 1 am sorry to say that the information is not altogether correct, in the first place, the board was under the impression that the matter would be dealt with as a public bill; but the Minister for Lands, who was in full sympathy with it,-, came to the conclusion that it would requiro to bo introduced as a local bill. It was subsequent to this that Mr Thomson was asked to take charge of the bill, and on his declining to do so, Mr Pinkerton's assistance was sought and obtained. Had Mr Allen, member for Bruce, been in the House, at this time, Mr Pinkorton's assistance would not have been required; and the fact that Mr Allen, on his return, took the -matter up and had tho bill placed on tho Statute Book is in itself a cutticient guarantee that the measure is a good and desirable one.' The board has no _ desire to compete with private enterprise in the carrying trade on tho Clutha River, and would gladly" relinquish' in favour of any private company having sufficient enterprise to talco up the trade; but the board dpes not see its way, out of its limited revenue, to subsidise. a boat put on by any private company, as MiThomson suggests'it should do. —I am, etc., ' ' .' . John. M'Neil, ..'. " . . Chairman Clutha River Board. , Balclutha, December 17. , :