The Thames Star. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1911. EDITORIAL.

Thames Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 10273, 28 September 1911, Page 2

The Thames Star. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1911. EDITORIAL.

■ * THE HAURAKI PLAINS. .—& —

AMENDMENT BILL PASSED.

In the House this morning the third reading of the Havtrtittd Plains Drainage Amendment Bill was agreed to, and as tho passage of the measure through the Legislative Council is &&■ suied it. may be assumed that the Bill will become law. That the measure is one calculated to fuirt-her improve tho value of tho land of the Haiu°aki Plains few will deny and those who liia>v© talken up sections will have the satisfaction of securing an additional £40,000 expended on drainage, making a total of £120,000. We gay« particulars of the provisions of the measure in a previous issue .'so there is iionecessity to again ltecapitulatc itti details. It means that, the sum stated will bo expended on drainage of tho Uaurnki Plains, and though this will of cpuvse enable the Government to place an additional area of land mi the market and thus increase tho number of settlers, it will jireve a decided benefit to those who ITave already seculred sections and have established theit' homes on the Plains. Tho Government, through its representative, tho drainage engineer, will now Lo enabled to extend, improve, and complete the comprehensive sohomo of drainage which has done so much td transform a dismal and solitary KWaanp into a valuable pastoral area. Tho expenditure of this additional amount will, wo understand, allow! an additional area on the southern portion of the Plain to be made available for settlement, perhaps ■sooner than many anticipate, while in ensuring the complete success of tho whole scheme, will assuredly add considerably to the value of the present holdings. In our opinion the Government have treated the settlers with the consideration that an enterprising hard-wb-rking and highly desirable class of residents deserve, and in Mithh'oUi'ing the levying of rates even for maintenance, for a period 1 of four years from tho date of taking up the sections, have shown that they recogniso the necessifv of assisting these hardy pioneer's to securQ.the full mea.Kuiro'rvf success that undoubtedly is their due.