HON. J. A. MILLAR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13835, 23 February 1907, Page 6

HON. J. A. MILLAR.

DEPUTATIONS' AT WAIKOUAITI AND PUKETIRAKI. Tho Hon. J, A. Miliar, Minister of Labour and Slarino, went to Waikouaiti yesterday morning with the principal objcctj in view of mooting tho local Domain Board and conferring on behalf of the fishermen at tho mouth of the Waikouaiti River as to tho best pioans to expend the Government .vote granted to improvo th« navigable channel for their boats. Mr T. Maokenjiio, accompanied tho Minister as membor for tho district, and thoHon. AV. M. Bolt was also a member of the party.

On arrival at Waikouaiti the Ministerwns formally welcomed to the town bv the Mayor (Mr B. W. Eell), and Jlr 11. Buekland on behalf of the Domain Board. PLATFORM ACCOMMODATION. Mr Buekland, as spokesman for a deputation of tho townsmen, pointed out the great inconvenience that was caused to travellers by tho short length of platform available at llio local station. A great part of many of tho trains ovorshot tho platform, tliorebj causing great incouvcnionco and even danger to passengors in alighting from the cars. Tho Primo Minister, when Minister of Railways, had promised that something would bo done ns early as possible, and it was thought that tho department itself was desirous of seeing an improvement in tha existing state of affairs. Tho Mayor said trains crossed at 'Waikouaiti daily, and he thought it was very necessary in tho interests of tho .travelling public that landing stools should bo jirovided or a platform erected on tho opposite sido of the lino for the convenience of thosa leaving or boarding tho fflitside train. Passengers had been known to fall between tho two sets of rails. At "Waitati, for instance, tho extra platform was provided. Tho Minister said he would lay tho matter beforo tho Minister of Railways. It appeared to him that further platform accommodation was necessary. Ho presumed a comparatively short platform would' suflico lor tho purposo.

WAIKOUAITI DOMAIN BOARD. Mr Buckland said that now that a grant had beon authorised for a now courthouse tho Domain Board was anxious to secure tha old building, whieK stood in one of tho borough streets,. as a shelter shod for tha resorve. Tho old edifice was not worth more than £10, and tho board would undertake tho expense of. removal.

The Minister said ho would place tho matter before tlio Minister of Justico on his return to Wellington.

On proceeding to the Domain resorve Mr Mackenzie pointed out to tho Minister an unsightly and unsavoury trench which exists between # tho railway lino and the raoccourse, stating that it was highly desirable thai somothing should bo dono to remedy tho matter.

Mr Buckland said this was a menaeo to publio health, and it was partly the means of flooding the lagoon in tlio reserve further down. On behalf of the Raoing Club the board 'had applied/ to tho Prime Minister to liave the holo filled. This had been agreed to, but had not been dono. Tho club was oven prepared to help tlio department fill tho place in, if it was allowed to extend tho racecourse. in tho locality, iind it would give' tho department tho option of taking baok tlio land at any time it required it. Tho matter eonld bo dealt with economically. >' Mr Millar said he would refer tho matter to his collcaguo tho Minister of Railways, THE STATE OF THE DOMAIN. Tho Minister next inspected tho Domain at tho invitation of the board. Tho Mayor 6aid this place' would bo tho resort of hundreds of people from tho city were it in a better state" but tho board had not the wherewithal to make it more presentable. At present, as tho Minister could see, nearly 200 acres wero swampy, and the board considered that it would be a very good idea if they could deepen tho lower portion somo 6ft or Bft by suction dredging- or other means, thereby giving a reasonablo. dopth of water, ana put the material on tlio upper portion, it would be li. vast improvement in every respect. The board' must have assistance in order to do this work. It' was unfortunate that there \Va's only a fall of 18in in the entire length of the lagoon. It would bo necessary, of course, to maintain an outflow channel, and drain tho area, wherever necessary. Sir Josoph Ward some time ago had promised tho board assistance in. respect of the work. Mr Buckland said the work was urgently required, and tho board oookl finish it with a reasonablo subsidy. Tho board would ondoavour to confine the channel. Mr R. Templcton said the trouble was tho want of a reasonablo fall. There was a sandy bar whero the lagoon entered the eea, and this was scoured out after every flood, allowing tho water to spread./ It took nearly half the rdvenue of tho board to keep the mouth cjear, and the only way to deal satisfactorily with the matter, in his opinion, was to confine the channel. Mr Buckland added that a floodgate should bo put in at the mouth to ensure proper scouring. The Minister said ho would place tho matter before the Minister of Lands on his return to, Wellington.

' BOAT HARBOUR AT PUKETIRAKI. After lunch, at which tho Minister was the guest of the board, several members of tno party accompanied Mr Millar to tho fishing settlement at tho mouth of the WaikoUaiti, whore ho was mot by Mr T. Parata, M.H.R. (chairman of tho Ifari-

tano Domain Board), who escorted the Minister ovor the-peninsula and pointed' out tho various improvements carried out by the board under Government grant. These included tho planting of a fairly large area in marram grass, tree-planting, and the grading of a serviceable road. Mr Parata further entertained tho company by relating the" story' of how Te

Wera, over a hundred years ago, successfully defended his pa on the' peninsula against tho onslaught of tho chief Taholja and his men.

Subsequently Mr li.. A. \V. Blathwayt (secretary of the board) arrived, and ho, with Mr Parata, pointed out to the Minister

the hardships tho fishermen were put to in getting their boats in and out of tho harbour. The Minister inspected tho locality carefully, and was taken down the ohonncl in one of tho boats. Tho improvements suggested (under tho vote of £200 already placed on the Estimates) included tho shoaling of a straight channel and tho blasting _ out of tho soft rock lying at present in the deeper portions. Tho Minister' promised that the plans shown by Mr Blathwayt would be submitted to the Marino Engineer, and, subject to his approval, tho work would be gone on with at once.