The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1911. RIPARIAN RIGHTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 50, 13 October 1911, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1911. RIPARIAN RIGHTS.

Tlie Railway Department is offering for sale by public auction all that portion of tho old railway line between New Plymouth and Fitzroy, together with tho surplus properties acquired in connection with the laying-out of tho diverted line along tho sea coast. One piece of the old line, however, is not included in the sale, and thereby hangs an interesting story connected with the method of selling lands in the early days. The original occupiers of the town of Now Plymouth and elsewhere in the province having river frontages, held a title showing their boundary to bo in the centre of tho river. Tho owner of tho land under notice, in selling to tho Government sufficient for the railway lias, reserved a narrow strip along tho river, thus having an interest on both sides of tho line. When it was determined to sell the old line, the 01 iginal owner made application to repurchase tlie'- piece- lying between the two boundaries, and realising that tho strip would ho of no use to any one else, the Government re-sold to the original owner. Thus a title has been issued, in which the boundary is igain shown in the centre, of tho Hnatoki River. Tho other owners of property along tho river bank, wo understand, parted with their river frontages, and the question arises as to whether the now‘purchasers will have their boundaries fixed in tho centre, is was originally the case, or on the bank edge. Present legislation regarding the sale of land along rivers provides for at least a chain wide reserve on either side, and no doubt this is a wise precaution, because fishing has now become one of the chief summer recreations of a large section of tlie community, and unless free access is obtainable to rivers there would be no further use for Accli mutilation Societies so far as this sport •was concerned. The old plan of granting titles to tlie centre of a river has been tho cause of endless trouble and strife, because in some districts rivers have a roving disposition, and what was the boundary one day might bo chains away the next, to tho loss of one settler and the gain of another it has hocm said that the courses of rivers have sometimes been diverted intentionally by a little manoeuvring up-stream, but wc should hops such cases were few and far between. However, whether helped or not, some rivers have executed wonderful feats since the establishment of settlement in New Zealand, and much ill will has boon engendered thereby.