THE SILTING PROBLEM.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXI, Issue 2728, 7 December 1910, Page 2

THE SILTING PROBLEM.

THE SUGGESTED REMEDY.

PROVISIONS OF THE ACT.

A copy of the Waihou and Ohmemuri Rivers Improvement Bill, as amended » by the special committee appointed to •consider its provisions, and as finally . passed by the House, has reached us through the courtesy of Mr H. Poland, M.P. , The full title of the Act is "an Act to remedy and prevent the silting and overflow of parts of the Waihou and Ohinemuri Rivers, and to improve the same for purposes of navigation." The provision in the Bill as at first introduced that tailings must go through an " eighty-mesh standard screen " has been struck out. The definition of " mining debris " has been altered from " any material thing other than water taken from or under the surface of the ground in the course of mining operations " to " any material thing other than water produced or arising directly - or indirectly during the course of mining operations." The term "river" now means " the water within the bed of a river or stream, and includes the land in such bed from bank to bank as defined in the original survey plans, whether such bed is normally covered by water or not." The provision for amending the proclamation ol the rivers as sludge channels has been struck out. * The provision that the Warden shall not grant any mining privilege in the district, the working of which may affect the rivers, except with the consent of the Minister, has also been struck out v . The different sections giving the Minister power to undertake works for the improvement of the rivers remain unaltered. The Minister is also empowered to take under the Public Works Act any land required in connection with the river improvement' works, and also any land required for the purposes of afforestation. The provisions relating to the payment of compensation for land destroyed or injured by tailings remain similar to those in the Bill as at first introduced, except that the section stating that " no compensation shall be awarded to any nerson having any estate or interest in the land affected unless that estate or interest was acquired by that persdn ' prior to January ist, 1906," has been struck out. Apparently all those injuriously affected will now be entitled to apply for compensation. For the purpose of carrying out the works proposed under the Act, and for the paying of compensation, etc., the Minister of Finance is authorised to borrow from time to time the necessary amount of money up to The provisions for the repayment of this loan are as follows : —There shall be paid annually, as from April ist, 1911, to the credit of a separate account, such sum of money as may: be required to pay the interest and sinking fund on the loan raised, together with the cost of administration and maintenance (provided that such sum shall not exceed the sum of ,£IO,OOO per annum). The proportions in which the ,£IO,OOO is to be paid are as follows :— £1667 from the Consolidated Fund; £5000 from t the gold duty received from mining in the river district; £1667 from the-J--gold-mining companies and persons discharging tailings, slimes, or mining debris into either of the rivers; any balance, not exceeding ,£1666, to be paid by the persons in the river district liable for rates. It is provided that no rates shall be levied on lands not liable to damage, nor on lands

south of the northern boundary of the Matamata County. The ,£SOOO from the gold duty is to be paid from, the gold duty that would otherwise go to the local bodies in the river district, and in such proportions as the gold duty would otherwise be payable to the local

authorities,

Un the completion of the works authorised by the Act, the Waihou and Ohinemuri River Board is to be formed and to take over the works carried out by the Minister for Public Works in connection with the rivers improvement. The River Board is to consist of eleven members to be appointed as follows : — Two members appointed by the Ohinemuri County Council, one member appointed by the Thames County Council, one member appointed by the Piako County Council, two members by the gold-mining companies in the district, two members appointed by the Governor, one member appointed by the Waihi Borough Council, and two members elected by the ratepayers ot the river district (except the ratepayers ot W aihi). Provision is made that the River Board shall pay out of its funds each

year interest on the borrowed money at the rate of four per cent, and also a sinking fund of not less than one and a halt per cent. The question ot deciding the proportion of the gold-mining companies' quota to be paid by the various companies is to be decided by the Warden. .