RIVER SILTING QUESTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 153, 28 June 1907, Page 6

RIVER SILTING QUESTION.

MEETING OF OHINEMUEI FARMERS': s.' .ijjttosL * -. • ■■ '■--:■ I- . . - - i DELEGATES PROCEED TO I " .WETMNGTON. . , 7 -'(From Onr -Own-Correspondent,} j '• i • PAEROA, Thnrsday^. An important meeting of the" Paeroa Branch of the " New Zealand Farmers' Sniorwas heid-in " tne + Hall on "Wednesday evening to discuss the river silting question, and more " particularly. to appoint delegates to give evidentfe before the Petitions Committee at Parliament Apologies for unavoidable absence .were receded from Me6srs Porritt, Nicholls, and TCpTyny. ' . . TSCr W. Marsb. vice-president «rf the branch; who occupied the chair* briefly cutiinea the object" of- the meeting. « ■ Mr "'Wilkinson asked-what- the delegates, were t6 do, and say, when they arrived In .■Wellington. His ■ reason for asking • the onestfo-n. was on account of his--being'of epihion that appealing to the New .Zealand Government was like appealing to the ciilmrit He "had • been told- that - several, of fiie members of- Parliament were among, the large ■ shareholders of Waihi- mine. He tiDUght that the farmers would do better by appealing to the Heme Government through.'the Colonial Secretary, ot even, to, the King, as he -was a sympathetic man. (Lansthter.) ■ ■ ■■■'•■■ Mr Colclough was of opinion that ■■ it ■would be'inore advisable to send the delegates to-Wellington, as he was positive that the Hons. McNa,b -and Millar, were in sympathy with them,- -and would do" all in their power to obviate the nuisance. Mr Brnnskill proposed, and. Mr Evans seconded, '"That Mr Uaughlin CSetherton) and Mr Porritt (Paeroa) be the i delegates to "proceed to STelUngton-". . ■ . On the proposition being put to the.meet : tngif was carried unanimously. . ; .In to a. question. Mr. Hanna (secretary) stated . that he had been promised dbnations amounting to abont- £25, towards defraying the delegates' expenses. ; Mr Colclough stated that his objection to the Ohinemnri river being proclaimed a elndge channel was based on the fact" that the "Maoris had "never been interviewed prior to the declaration having been. made. Mr iaughlin, who was appointed as one of the delegates, thanked those present for Slaving elected him to the position, and promised to do 'aTT in his power. He was a practical miner, ana" his sympathy was to a certain extent with the mining industry, but he could not stand by and see a large irea of valuable "laBd" destroyed for the sake of the industry.' He Was of opinion that the" whole of the silt" could be deposited on a piece of land adjoining the batteries instead of turning it into the river. He ■was confident that the Government would take some steps to have the matter dealt, .with. ■ • - .: . - . On the motion of Mr Hanna, seconded by Mreolclongh;it was resolved "That'the County Conner! tie asked to send ' a delegate to act in conjunction with theirs, and recommended that Mr Kenny, the county clerk be appointed/ Mr Black considered that as Mr Poland, M.H.E. for the constituency, was also a member of the County Council, he was ■yrell able to see to the - Council's interests, if he were not, then he could not possibly be at-to represent the people of Ohirieinuri in the Hoose. Mr Hanna moved and it was resolved, "That ■ a committee •be appointed 'to have half a dozen photographs. showiDg the amount of silt which had accumulated on the land adjoining the river, lithographed, and an explanatory note to that effect circulated to the members of the House,. and any other influential -gentlenSes." ' • A .-rote: of :thanks to the chair concluded the meeting. ,