Water Power in Rivers.

Thames Star, Volume XLV, Issue 10633, 5 February 1909, Page 4

Water Power in Rivers.

POLICY OF THE GOiWfR^M'JSNT,

(Bj Telegmph—Own Correfipondenti)

WHAiNKJAIRiEir, Fetewaty 4,

A statement in i^agiard to the future policy of the Governmiemit respecting -, the utilisation of the waiter-power | now rninning to waste in the rivers of th« Bominion, iwasi madd by the Hon. 'Mr. Millar last, night, in i-eply-ing to a deputation wihiich urged- that the Wairua Fialls.be. set aside for thepurpose of. local bodies. Mr Millar said that the Government did not desire to stand in the way of th© water-power 1 of the various being utilised-to the best a'dvantajge, 'but it did desire to prevent' undue monopolies being acquired. For instance, the rights to the Waipori .Falls, at Dunedin, was acquired some years ago by a private iin3ividual, who afterwards sold itj:o the Dunedin Oity Council for £10,----000, tteugh' his total, outlay in tho matter had been the oosfc of his application, to the Wardem. The Go7ernment did not intend to allow private individuals to obtain monopolies in this Way, but at the Bams time it did not desire) to pursue a dog; im the -manger policy. The Government would not allow; tin© waiteipowrter' to gol begging whem it could be utilised in cheaipeininigi the cost of running the industries of the Dominion. lAini aiDemdemiilt would "be mads in the 1 existing 1 Alot, by w'hieh the rights to the power would b;granted to local bodies -and a private individual waa granted these rights, the maximuml charge that h!e would be 'allowed to maik© woutd!^ be fixed so as to enable him to obtain ai reasonable iiit€«!st on his > outlay, but at the same timie not** permit him' t-'> becomia a m'illiomirp througih the transaiation. would be treatiecC- ,on somewhat different^ Jinev? Efe thought the proposed ameinditnent would ■enaWe the-falls in question to 'be made use of as desired' by the ; Wh'angarei Borough Council.