The Evening Star THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1875.

Evening Star, Issue 3997, 16 December 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1875.

Befoee saying anything with regard to the right orwrong of compensating Riparian proprietors for water, which i; is supposed they will be deprived of by appropriating the water shed of the Water of Leith to supplying the City, the ground of their claim should be ascertained. It is very probable that two or three who are caarying on trades requiring water supply may be inconvenienced. One or two mills may require as much water as could be furnished effectively by a two-inch pipe, or possibly some woolwasher may need what would supply a decent-aized swimming bath, while others will bo amply compensated by presenting them with horse or pig troughs, for their cattle to - rmk out of, and keeping them filled by a hose. While we have a pretty strong conviction that their absolute necessities may be met at very trifling exoense, we are quite prepared to expect immense sums wdl be claimed by some. We shall e glad to be ruia a eu, i his is one of the blessings of Ot our system of dealing with land and , a t contains. We do not recognise any ngho m it as belonging to man as man, but barter it away for the merest trifle and buy it back again at thousands of times the price obtained fer it when it becomes evident that it is needed for public use. If the Riparian proprietors purchased the land they occupy on account of the use to which they can put the water, all that they can possibly demand is sufficient for their purpose, in Dunedin vast works are carried on by using water as a motor. Every day engines amounting in the aggregate to a thousand horse power are worked by water received through a very small tube, and, in addition to this, every house in the City is amply supplied uuh the free gift of God by means of iis artificial underground rivers. Yet, in the face of tht so f icts, the Riparian proprietors Stek to prevent the rain that falls from Heaven, intended by Providence for the free use and benefit of man from being participated m by the thoutauds who need the bio.sing, unless they can be paid for the ram they never bought and which no man nor governm.ut had a right to sell. We fuLy recognise the claim they have to compensation, if they really suffer if by taking the water needful for the City any man is deprived of the means of making a living, or is really inconvenienced, he has a fair claim for compensation, or foi bc-ng placed in a position to carry on his work as c'hc’cntly as he lias been by the assis anca of the river ; but beyond this his claim should not bo entertained { r a.momeut. If a supply by means a Ot P _ pipe will turn the machinery of a mil] it is aaking lather too much of the pu-lie that they should sacrifice their right to the use of the remainder of the stream. It a wool-scouring machine, with the as sistanoc of a je. of steam, will do the work now done by the river in Kbs time, and more effectively, give the man a machine and let tiJui carry on hia business and make a fortune by the improved appliance if the cost of it is not greater than the value of a change of position, or if real necessity exists for any compensation at all We have iKid Chough cf arbitrations and claims for compensation, No experience appears to touch governments wisdom. Not all the abominations of extortionfor railway purposts at Homo led to any conditions bang attached to occupation c-f land in the Colonies hy winch a repetition of them con’d be provented. 1\ ot a railway has been constructed without someone attempting to swindle the public under pretence of injury to len or a hundred times the amount really suffered. Lt is time that the interests of non-occupiers °f the soil as well as occupiers sbou d be recognised, It is quite true that law is to a great extent the exponent of the intelligence ot the people who have adopted it, but it may not accord with natural rights. It thus becomes an expon nt of their igr.Oiaucc too. It may and docs show that while the few are alive to their own interest, ihe many know no better thau to allow th se shrewd ones to encroach upon their rights. We do not know who the Riparian proprietors

are, and should be sorry to do them injustice We dc not think it thoir interest tc set them selves in antagonism to the public who o:: their tide should lean to the liberal side o) the question. Probably, if met in a fair, business spirit, they may not ho found diffi cult to deal with. We should not like to have a second batch of “ shrewd men of business ” in the IVparian proprietors now that the Waterworks Company are satisfied. Mr ReevrVs motion may prevent this.