THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE WAI-KOUAITI RIVER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14156, 7 March 1908, Page 14

THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE WAIKOUAITI RIVER.

Sir,—The fishermen of Karitanc would like to draw the attention of the public through your columns to the very eratic way in which the Government is wasting good money on the Waikouaiti River. Tho fishermen of that, district applied for, and jrof, a grant from Parliament to improve the entrance' of that river, hut, as the money was recklessly squandered and no improvement was produced by it, they desisted from asking for more. Lately, however, another grant of £100 has been received without !.heir asking for it. .It .is not benefiting the'fishermen any, so tho only persons to profit at all. are those who are asking for the grant. A deputation of fishermen waited on the local Domain Board lastx night, and asked if it would give them an explanation of how -the last £100 grant was 6pent; but the hoard simply ignored them, and said it had full power fo spend the money as it thought lit, 'This last, grant of £100 was. kept almost exclusively, in the hands of the local hoard. If inquiries are made, wo think it. highly' improbable that the board will have full power to spend this last grant as it thinks fit. Why not call tenders for the work the same as is done with most public money? It was suggested by Ihe fishermen, and approved of by the Domain Board, that operations should commence at'the'bar ami continue up-tho river as far as the money would go, hut nothing has been done in that direction at. all. We sincerely hope that some abler' pen will take this matter lip and thrash it out to the bitter end.—We are, etc., Kabitane Fishermen'. Pukitoraki, March 5.