WATER POWER DEPUTATIONS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 632, 8 October 1909, Page 4

WATER POWER DEPUTATIONS.

"'■..warm'■■'debate in prospect; k The water power regulations promise to bits rise to.a warm debato during the present ses. sion. ;. . '.;■■-. ... ■■.'■...• - ■ .. . '■!•>:«.:.. petitions, one from residents of 5 ' the Grey und the other' from residents 'of \Yestland, with rsfereuce' to the development and utilisation or .the. waste water' powers in many of. the' West Coast rivers, were receivedyesterday. .-/.The petitioners-declare that the' imposition of any chargo upon, water'power' used for mining purposes, end especially for pumping water for sluicing, ; is 'an unjust discrimination between the ordinary gravitation system and the far more expensive means of delivering water upon .high terraces'' by electrical pumping. It is obvious (they continue) that the most difficult and expensive undertakings will have to pay proportionately more for sluicing water than will be the case on moro favourably situated ventures. The pen-/ 'doners assert, that-cash deposits prior to;the< flotation of companies must prove an effectual deterrent to enterprise. It is claimed that the provisions of the Public Works Amendment Act, 1908, and regulations raado ; thereunder by the Minister, should bo repealed or amended by Parliament 60 tliat the now to. grant licenses to use water fdr .electrical purposes'on tho goldfiolds should be Vested in the wardoir and administered by him pur* sunntto regulations under /the Mining Act. With regard to this matter, tho fact may bo recalled that the lion. E. M'Kcnzie, on being deputationised,.'promlsed that.a deposit would bi>. refunded after a company had "done a c tain-amount of' work. Some nine weeks ago the Toahoho Company handed its deposit to the Department. According to ji communication received from the.West Coast, the draft licenso has only just. been forwarded to. the solicitor for tho company for. its approval. Tho document, it is understood, provides, for licenso. for 42 years; without any ■ right of ■ r • riownl,' and confiscation of (ho whole plant it* to take place at the end of the term. The writer adds i • "There nre many other equally imppssiblo .and unworkable conditions..in the uopuaeat". . .■• , ;. ■• 1