PAPER MILLS PLAN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19029, 1 June 1936, Page 12

PAPER MILLS PLAN

•'CRITICISM IN HOUSE /REPLY BY COMPANY SURPRISE AT COMMENTS •<;In; Connection with the discussion in ilia Jloiise. of Representatives oh Wednesday " upon the Whakatane Paper Mills; Limited, Water Supply Empowering Jljll,-the.-New 2.'ealaud secretary oi the'..company,Mr, E.'ll. Brown, made the following statement: — - ■;-''lt. ;* comes as a surprise to ; those interested in the hill to learn of the opposition aiul criticism expressed at its third reading, as, although the bill lift* beeil advertised, no opposition from the parties interested or liKely to be hffecteti thereby ; has'been forthcoming up to thcpresent .juncture;. rather, t!ie. parties concerned have, expressed themselves a* being in' sympathy with the objects ol the' bill.

■•" The ■• private bill 'before .the House is-.intended to confer upon the companj statutory authority to draw water (foi u,Bg. hi, the manufacturing processes 01 its proposed pulp and paper mills) from tips Whakatane Kiver at a point not less thajvjone and . %-h'alf chains below the 'VVhakatune Borough's intake.' In addition, tlie company seeks statutory power to Jay a pipe-line from tin* point of in take to its mill site, approximately three miles nearer the mouth of the river. « 'Aul'HOhltiEg FULLY CONSULTED

~':,''The«hill ajso provides, that plans 01 the proposed pipe-lino upon any public road must be approved by the local authority before any work is commenced, and the work when commenced, is to be urid6rth<i supervision of the local authority. The company, prior to the bill being referred to, the Committee of Selection, had secured' all essential easements over private property through which the pipeline must pass. * ".''lt may not be generally known that all' Government departments which may ■be. interested in any way in a private bill; are entitled to appear before the Committee of Select ion ~<bn the bill ana to; make their representations ,in sup port •of or • against the bill. The company, 'hi .tlie .present instance, -took'step. to/confe? with, the departments interested,; also the local bodies concerned with''tlie result '"that the bill, when in, trdttuced. into the. House, and, at it* Second reading, referred to the Commit tee of Selection, actually incorporate* the,: requirements .of the departments Cqmeriied '«:'.■'OFFER TO 'COMMITTEE t

•'•"The company's solicitor appeared before, tlie..Committee of Selection, and on behalf'.of the company, offered to sub mnYevidence of.the company's financial ability to carry out its proposals re feting* to the immediate establishrneni of "the woodpulpiug and paper and board.making industries.. The chairman of tin committee intimated, howeverj that such evidence' would 'be .unnecessary.

■ *»The company has already given evi dence before the Commission of Inquiry presided ■ over by Mr. J. S. Barton. S.M.. into company methods, and has also supplied information regarding its proposals to the .Bureau:, of Industry. . "The company in quite prepared t'c place before theindnstries and Commerce Committee of tlie House evidence of its-. financial position and its ability to earr,\ out*its present proposals, which envisag' the' expenditure of £350,000 011 the firs section of its.mills (£70,000 in building: and £280,000 in equipment). ~. "The managing director, Mr. If. A Hoi'rocks, and the company's enguieei Mr. L. A. Defruere, are at' present abroad .for'-.the express purpose of finahs ing'the equipment contracts, and. these contracts can be, let immediately t.i« miatters iit present before the Govern merit' are approved. The establishment of' the "industry, at Whakatane will pro vide employment. for .approximately >(A employees.'' , ■