THE WAIPORI WATER RIGHTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13080, 16 September 1904, Page 4

THE WAIPORI WATER RIGHTS.

The City Council adopted the only courso ttint was, under the circumstances, open to it as a body of sensible men when it decided on. Wednesday night merely to receive the letter addressed to it by Mr Harman Reeves proposing n conference between representatives of the Council and of the Waipori Falls Electric Power Company with a view to the institution of negotiations for the purchase by the Corporation of the Waipori rights. There were two obvious reasons why tho Council should decline to consider the proposal in the form in which it was submitted. We cannot suppose that Mr Reeves acted entirely without authority in approaching the Council, but, upon the face of it, his letter was merely a communication from a citizen who volun-

teered to act as an intermediary between the Corporation and the company. No intermediary has been required, however, up to the present time, nor is it desirable that tho services of one should now ho invoked. When tho time comes

for the renewal of negotiations these should be conducted between principals' on both sides. At the very least, the Council should disregard any proposal that was not mado upon tho express Authority of tho company. At tho present juncture the company is, we gather, not prepared to negotiate. Nor is there really any valid reason why negotiations should be opened just now. The proposal for a conference, even if it had been clearly authoritative, is, in fact,

distinctly premature. The company's Enabling Hill must be disposed of by Parliament before the time will be ripe for an attempt to strike a bargain. If the Bill should be passed in the form

in which the . Select Committee has moulded it then we are certainly of opinion that the Council should not sacrifice the opportunity of seeking to come to terms within the 90 days that are to bo permitted to it for the completion of an immediate purchase. But the Bill may not pass in its present shape. If the proposals contained in the measure are not acceptable to the House tho Bill may be referred back to the Select Committee at the time when it is reported; and if tho Committee

does not amend it'in such a fashion as will meet the vieivi> of the House the Bill may bo rejected. These are considerations that can hardly be ignored. It is impossible to say what exact form the Bill will present when passed, if it is to be passed at all. And, that being so, it would, as Councillor Scott urged, bo a lingo liiista'ko on the part of the Council to enter into any negotiations until the fate of the Bill lias been actually determined. But the Council will incur the risk of committing r, colossal blunder if it turns a deaf ear then tosovertures for tho acquisition of the Waipori rights. '