DEPUTATIONS TO THE HON. W. FRASER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17157, 9 November 1917, Page 5

DEPUTATIONS TO THE HON. W. FRASER.

DRAINAGE OF THE TAJERL

A deputation from tho City Council waited ypori tne Hon. W. i'raser (Minister of Public Vv orks) yesterday morning at tho Grand Hotel, to lay boiore him certain proposals iti the event of the recommendations of the Thompson Commission being carried into effect. 'I'ho deputation consisted of the Mayor of tho city (Mr J. J. Clark), Or Shacklock, tho town clerk (Mr Lewin), and tho electrical engineer (Mr Henderson). Tho Mayor stated that they had not come to ask for anything, but, in tho event of tho Minister taking into consideration and carrying out the Thompson Commission's recommendations for tho drainage of the district, the City Council were auito prepared at their own expense to erect a weir, as suggested, at a coat of between J26U00 and *17000. They were prepared to do it for two reasons: to increase tne water supply for tho council's electrical works and to benefit tho Taieri.

Cr Shacklock.said that they quite realised the position the Minister was in, and that it was an inopportune time lor undertaking any big work on account of the scarcity ot labour and the high price of material, but they were quite sure that he would realiso that this submerged land had a detrimental elfect upon tho city. What tho City Council proposed was the erection of a weir one milo and a-half long above tho present works. This would -have the effect of trapping a lot of tho silt, for one thing, and, m addition, tho council made no secret of tho fact that the weir in the main river would be of great importance to its electrical industry. It' had allocated between £6000 and £7000 to the raising of Lake Luella dam and the construction of a bridge across tho lake, and the council wished the department to clear tho ground for it, so to speak. There were certain mining rights on ground that would bo flooded if the weir was erected. He could not say what legislation would be required, but ho would point out that if this work were undertaken by the department (in pursuance of the Commission's report) legislation such as they wanted would havo to be passed. Tho Minister: Are there any mining claims between tho site of tho proposed weir and your works? The position was explained by means of a plan produced, it being stated that there was no mining going on, but on© or two claims had been pegged out. Tho Minister: Do you suggest that the Government should extinguish these rights to allow you to raise the weir. I am sure • tho Government would not do that. At whose expense are the rights to be extinguished ? Cr Shacklock said he was not aware that there were rights of any value there, but as soon as tho council proposed works minors would find valuable claims. He pointed cut that, if the Government undertook the erec tion of a dam in accordance with the Commission's report, it would have to extinguish the mining rights. Tho Minister said the council could not expect the Government to extinguish the mining rights to enable the council to create a dam of service to them for increase of revenue.

Cr Shacklook: It would also bo of _ value in preventing silt coming down the river. The Minister said that, although he had been shown the position at Taieri, it was entirely outside his department, belonging to the function of the Lands Department, and tho present matter was one for the consideration of the Minos Department. Of course, at present the important thing in the Taieri was to clear tho channel of the river lower down. . They must recognise that they were bringing themselves into conflict with certain mining rights. This matter had come up before. If they onco began talking of building that dam, people would go and peg off the whole of this ground. Mr Lew in said they were assuming that the recommendations of tho Commission would be followed.

Tho Minister replied that the recommendation of the Commission might be all right, but it was not practicable at present. It was difficult enough to finance the work on the lower part of the river. However, it was a matter for the Minister of Lands and the Minister ,of Mines He was afraid he could nothing more than convey their representations to both Ministers and explain tho position to them. It would require legislation to withdraw tho land concerned from the mining reserves area, and the Government would have to be satisfied that to do so would ibe more beneficial to the country than to keep the reserves for mining purposes. He could not express an opinion on the question of policy, but ho would certainly place the matter before his colleagues. He agreed that it was advisable to have the question ventilated during the recess, so that, if legislation wero necessary, it could be given next session. The Mayor said they were anxious to have this work available for men when they came back from the war. It would give employment to a considerable number of men, and tho work would all be labour. It_ was essential to get as many works as possible in preparation. The Minister reiterated that he would place the matter before the two Ministers concerned.

MORNINGTON TRAMS.

THE MARYHILL ROUTE.

A deputation of eight gentlemen, representing the residents of that part of Mornington formerly served by the Maryiull tram line, which has been closed for over a year, then waited on the Hon. Mr Fraser to request hun to alford permission to the l>unedm City Council to borrow a portion of the Elgin road tram rails as a war measure, without interfering in any way with the Order-in-Council in respect of the Elgin road line. Mr A. Bathgate, who headed the deputation, reviewed tho position of the Maryhall and Elgin road tram services. He said the Elgin road line had not been running for about five years, and that the Maryhill line had been stopped for over a year owing to the inability to obtain rails to effect tho repairs insisted on by tho Public Works Department.' Ho pointed out that experts had declared that it would take £10,000 to make the Elgin road fit for traffic again, whereas repairs could be effected to tho Maryhill line at a cost of £1600 if the council could secure permission to borrow 20 chains of rails from the Elgin road line. Apparently there was an idea that tho two lines were alternative. This was really not so, but so far as the routes were alternative, the Maryhill line served a much greater number of Elgin road residents than the Elgin road lino would serve of the Maryhill residents. Mr J. Inglis. Wright said that what they wanted was contained in the following resolution, passed at a large meeting of residents a few nights ago:—-"That this meeting urgo the City Council to securo from the Minister of Public Works his consent to tho postponement of the question of future action in regard to the two tram lines, granting meanwhile piermission to borrow the necessary rails from the Elgin road line as a war measure, without in any way prejudicing that line by a cancellation of tho Order-in-Council." Ho held that tho council could' have lifted the rails required without any application to tlie Government.. The mistake the council had made was in asking for an absolute revocation of tho Order-in-Council authorising the Elgin road line. This was what had raised tho opposition, and very naturally, too, for it did away with any authority for . tho running of the line at any future time. But there would be no opposition to tho mere raising of 20 chains of line temporarily, and that was the proposal they were putting before thei council now. All they wanted from the department was the removal of the embargo placed on the whole proposal, and the granting of permission to lift tho rails purely as a war measure. The Minister said that, if he were not mistaken what they were asking him was to interfere with the functions of tha City Council provided by Statute. The City Council had never asked him for permission to lift these ■ rails. What it had asked for was an Order-in-Council which would have had tho effect of stopping the whole of the Elgin road line. He did not know the council's views, and it would be time enough for him to consider his attitude when permission to lift tho rails came before him. When ho was asked to issue tho Order-in-Council he considered there was unfortunately some conflict between the interests involved, and ho had thought the wisest plan would be to appoint a commission of inquiry and obtain the facts of tho case. The commissioner had reported that the whole thing be referred back to the City Council. That report had been sent to the council, and he (the Minister) was now waiting for an answer. He had not made up his mind in any way, and he could not move until the council approached him. If the council decidod to ask permission to lift the rails he would consider the application on its merits, and if ho were satisfied that no injustice would be done he might think it advisablo to do it. But if ho found that harm would bo done it would be his duty to prevent it. They could rest assured that nothing would be done until he was perfectly certain that no injustice I would be thrust upon any party. I

Mr Ing-lis Wright said ho thought th»| Minister had found the key of the pog&J tion in pointing- out that ■ it appeared #<jf| have been withm the rights of the couneJll to havo raised th© rails without refer4> enco to tho department. The Minister said that that -was council's administrative function to mine, but it was not for him to them. ■ . ■ :rj