WATER POWER REGULATIONS.

West Coast Times, 25 June 1909, Page 2

WATER POWER REGULATIONS.

MEETING AT ARAHURA.

The series of meetings instituted by the County Council to protest against the Government Regulations was Continued last night when a meeting washeld at Arahura.

Mr B. Ward, M.C.C., occupied the chair and stated that he did so in the unavoidable absence of Mr S. G. Ferguson, the County Chairman. Mr Ward after explaining the object of these meetings said that although those present were nearly all farmers still they were dependent to a great extent on the mining industry of the district. Mining had been a great source of income not only to the district but to the Dominion. But the time had come when the individual miner found it a very difficult thing to iurko a fair living. The proposed scheme if carried out ' would be of immense benefit to them all but if the Government insists upon the present regulation that, scheme could not go on. One or two had said that tiis nonlJ create a monopoly but the peo%te of Rimu who surely ought to know ffid that it was no monopoly. What th« people of Rimu said was good enough for him and those Rimu miners carried their resolution the other evening without one dissenting voice. He. thought therefore that the people of Arahura should do their little best in trying to help the syndicate vi getting what they wanted and so br jig I better times to the mining people and directly to the whole district. It seem ed- to him most ridiculous that Govi ernment should in any form put difficulties in the way. Although they were a farming people still this scheme would help them greatly because it would make Hokitika a more prosperous place -and then they would have a- readier market for .their produce. ! Mr Cameron . moved the following resolution: — " That this meeting of settlers and miners of the Arahura. Valley, joint with the districts of Hokitika, Rimu and Kanieri in urging the Government to - make a ' material ! modification in the water power regulations as affecting hydraulic gold mining, and strongly supports the request for the reduction of rent charges, the abolition of the heavy deposit and the requirements of costly plans; and, further, that the meeting emphasises its earnestness in the matter, feeling sure that if properly encouraged, the installation of hydro-electric power wDI work a wonderful change in the mining prospects apd possibilities of the district, and re-establish the industry on a footing which wfll give extensive employment to labour, and materially advance the general prospects' of Westland in particular and the Dominion ,as a whole. This was seconded by Mr Toker and on being put to the meeting was cari-ied unanimously.

Mr Morrison moved and Mr Brown seconded the motion, that copies of the resolution be forwarded" to the Act-ing-Premier," the Minister,, for Mines, and the member for theO3istrict. — Carried unanimously. '.

Mr Linklater then spoke and. said ' that it was a pity to see aso called .- Liberal Government treating this syn- * dicate in such a harassing way. It > 't? was a shame for the Minister to say I that this was a political question. On. V^ the contrary all parties were to be admired for the way in winch they had ?J sunk party .politics and were fighting; \ for fair treatment side 'by side. Mr || Linklater closed with the pregnant re- f-j. mark "I do not know who reported « to the Minister that it was a polit- .% ic'al question but no matter who did <*| so, it is false." J Mr Cederman pointed out the direct j| benefit which farmers would have bjfc •J| a revival of the goldmining industry. I The Chairman then thanked tjhose | present for coming to the mating, ! 1 some of them from a long distance, 'f£ and in closing the meeting he added J| "there is not a single person in the - ja Arahura district who is not with us'^^ in this matter." | A vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Ward for, presiding. " a