The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit THURSDAY, JUNE 17. 1886. River Encroachment.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1266, 17 June 1886, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit THURSDAY, JUNE 17. 1886. River Encroachment.

It is only natural that owners of property in the Wakanui district should be considerably alarmed by the throatcued encroachment of the Ashburton . river. Persons acquainted with the eccentricities and turbulcncy of the mountain torrent, which wc in courtesy style a river, arc well aware that a heavy fall of rain or a sudden melting of the deposits of snow on the Southern Alps may, at any moment, convert an innocent looking rivulet into a furious and uncontrolablc avalanche of water. It is not surprising, therefore, that owners of * property in the immediate neighborhood of this treacherous current should entertain a suspicious appreciation of its power of destruction, and the interest • displayed in the proceedings at the public meeting held at Wakanui last evening for the purpose of discussing the question of river encroachment, shotfs that the ratepayers in that district are carefully watching the danger by which they arc menaced. It is unfortunate that the discussion last evening assumed a somewhat personal tone. Two or three months ago the Ashburton County Council granted the lessee of the Wakanui Flour Mill permission to divert a small volume of water from the Ashburton river for the purposes of the mill. The County Engineer reported that the diversion would in no way prejudice nor endanger the adjoining property, and so far as we can learn from the expressed opinion of experts and from our own observations, this opinion is abundantly supported by common sense and the laws of hydrodynamics. But a section of the ratepayers in the district affected have taken quite a different view of the matter, and their opinions and fears are certainly entitled to some measure of consideration. We do not for one moment credit the statement, made last evening, that the opposition to the present diversion is based upon personal grounds. Our acquaintance with several of the gentlemen who join in this opposition leads us to believe that a number of ratepayers are honestly imbued with an idea that safety of their properties is jeopardised by the admission of the water. They arc not satisfied by the declaration of the County Engineer nor by the safeguards provided by the County Council, and demand that, after fair notice to tho lessee, the present concession should be terminated. Now, the latter course would inflict a considerable hardship upon individuals, and would, practically prevent a continuance of the operations of an important local manufactory. As a solution of the difficulty wo think the Wakanui Road Board might very properly direct its own Engineer—a professional gentleman of coiisidetablo experience in such matters—to report upon the subject. If the opinion of the Board’s Engineer should coincide with that held by the Council’s Engineer the present alarmists would doubtless be satisfied; if these experts should differ, the objectors might reasonably, and, wc , think, successfully, ask to have the J benefit of the doubt.

Mr Peter Cunningham has been elected, without opposition, to a seat on the Lyttelton

Harbor Board.

The case of Miller v the Corporation of Dunedin, claim of £SOO for damages lor

injury received through the blasting at Dowling street, was concluded in the Supremo Court Dunedin yesterday. Mr Justice Williams in summing up, said the Corporation was responsible, because the operations were conducted on one of the streets of the

City. The streets were vested in the Corpora.

tion. who controlled them. It was one of the powers of the Corporation to bring the streets to their proporjlovol, and these operations bad been conducted partly tor that purpose, and the persona at work in the street had been appointed by the Corporation. Under those circumstances, the Goyernment finding the money for the works, did not shift the responsibility from the Corporation. The jury returned a verdict lor £SO, and the Judge certified for costs on the loweet scale. The Timaru “Herald” says : A number of men out of work in Waimato have petitioned the Government, through Major Stewart, M.H.8., for employment. These are principally married men with families. Steps are now being taken to tender the postage stamps of the colony more legible in character by putting a distinguishing mark on them.

Tho meeting in connection with the formation ol a branch ol tho Irish Loyal and Patriotic Union has been postponed from tomorrow evening to Tuesday next. Tho usuul weekly meeting of the Star of the East Lodge, No 02,1.0.G.T., was held at the Orange Hall last evening. There was a very large attendance ol visitors and members, Bro J. Harding, G.W.O.T. of New Zealand, waa present, and after the usual routine business bad been transacted delivered a very able address. He incidents of bis visits to tho various Lodges intha colony, and his address was full of useful information and good advice to members- The customary votes of thanks brought tho meeting to a close.

At the Addingtod live stock market jester, day the following prices were realised : Cattle; Steers sold at from £5 to £7 15a ; heifers from £3 10s to £5 17s 6d ; being from 17s Gd to IDs per lOOlbs, as per quality. Sheep:—Heavy crossbred wethers, from 10s gd to 13s ‘3d ; medium, 7s Gd to 10a ; crossbred ewes from 5s 3d to 7s ; merino wethers sold from 5s 3d to 9s ltd and 10s Gd, the latter prices beingjfor a low pens of grand quality. From IJd to 14 per lb was average price. Pigs Bacon pigs at from 26s to 13s ; porkers 12s to 18s, being from 2Jd to 2jd per lb.