THE Grey River Argus. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1870.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 723, 6 September 1870, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1870.

The House of Representatives ha* agreed to the clauses in the Immigration and Public Works Bill which refers to the construction of large races, dams, reservoirs, or other water-works for the supply of the Gold Fields of the Colony. The total, sum to be expended is £300,000, and this the Colonial Treasurer proposed to expend at the rate of £100,000 a year, extending the expenditure over three years. It was attempted by Mr' O'Neill, who represents the Otago Gold Fields, but is in reality an Auckland member, to fix the expenditure at £150,000 a year, extending over two years, because he believed that amount would be required, if it were attempted to bring water on to the Gold Fields. He said it was possible, by spending too small a sum on works of this character, they might prove to be of very little value. They required large reservoirs to be constructed, which would cost a considerable sum of money. It had been shown by Dr Hector, who was considered to be a very high authority, that there were from 15,000 to 20,000 square miles of auriferous country in the Southern Island, and the greatest difficulty which had been experienced in the working Of these Gold Fields had been the want of water. This is quite true, if the wants of every Gold Field in the Colony are to be attended to at once ; but that is impossible, because it would be almost certain that under such a system more works would be commenced than would be finished, and we are glad that Mr Harrison quite approved of the restriction which the Government' wished to insert in this clause, nob because he wished to see the amount to be expended in.supplying water to the gold fields restricted, but on account of the risk which attended undertakings of that kind. A" railway might not be a paying speculation, but it was of some use even if it did not pay. It was a very different thiug in regard to waterworks on gold fields. They might secure a large supply of water, and the means of making that supply permanent or profitable might fail when they least expected it. The risky nature of undertakings of this kind was sufficiently proved by the indisposition of large capitalists to embark in them to any considerable extent. He did not think that any great harm would result from the restriction which the Government intended to place on the expenditure of this money, nor did he think it would have the effect of crippling the operations of the Government in assisting public or private companies. On the other hand, Mr Barff said he thought if the money were spent in small sums it would not have the same beneficial efiect as if it were spent on larger works. He thought that Lloo,ooo would not be enough to supply waler to the various gold fields in Otago, Nelson, and Auckland. In places where the works were nearly all of an. alluvial character, and the water had to be brought from a great distance, a large expenditure must necessarily take place. He thought that it should be left to the Government to expend the whole or any part of the money during the first and second years, or to expend it in such sums as might be considered desirable. We cannot agree with Mr Barif on this point, especially when the restriction was sought to be imposed by the Colonial Treasurer himself, he must have seen some good and sufficient reason for it. The proposition of Mr O'Neill was negatived, and the sum fixed at £100,000 a year. The subject of giving guarantees or positive gifts to private companies either of miners or capitalists carrying out these works were but little touched upon in the debate, although Mr Richmond pointed out that in this matter of water supply to Gold Fields, it was more particularly desirable that the ai3 of ihe Government should not be given in the shape of a positive gift, either of a sum of money or of an annual contribution towards interest, leaving the profits of the speculation to be" a maMer completely open to those who entered upon it. That is to say, supposing any capitalists should be found willing to undertake the work, that Government should give them, say, three per cent on a specified capital, and that such contribution should not cease in the event of the profits of the undertaking rising to a certain point, but it should be a positive and absolute gift, leaving all inducements to economy in all matters relating to the construction and management of the works to those who undertook them. If this scheme should ever ripen into any practical shape, he hoped the Government would look into this question of guarantees, as the mode in which the guarantees were carried out would not only materially affect the burdens of the country but the success of the enterprise. Jf the plan he suggested were adopted, no works would be undertaken unlesß there was a probability of a profit being derived from them, which those who undertook; the work would have, to ascer-

tain for themselves. He thought that the object of the Government would be best attained by making a small contribution, say to the extent of one-half the amount of interest named in the clause, leaving the profits which might arise entirely in the hands of the contractors, though they might exceed the proposed amount of 6 per cent. But nothing further come of the suggestion, although we believe that if due consideration were given to it a scale of guarantees or gifts could be fixed, under certain conditions, which would induce the investment of more capital than the Government propose to expend in the construction of large water-races and reservoirs on every Gold Field in the Colony. There is another very important point from which this question must be regarded, atid that « the very arbitrary powers conferred by the Bill upon the Governor, or any person authorised by him, and we fear that in many cases great hardship will be entailed upon isolated parties of industrious men for the benefit of the large body of their fellow-miners. Turning to the Bill itself we find that the following are the powers conferred : — He may enter upon any lands and take the levels of the same, and set out such parts thereof as he thinks necessary, and dig and break up the soil of such lauds, and remove or use all earth stones trees or other things dug or gotten out of the same. He may enter upon, take and hold Such land as shall from time to time be specified in any Proclamation made under the Third Part of this Act, for the construction or improvement of any works autkoi-ised in and by the third part of this Act. He may from tiir.e to time make maintain or alter such reservoirs dome races aqueducts waterworks drains pipes culverts engines and other works, and erect such buildings in or upon the lands and streams authorised to be taken as he thinks fit. He may from time to time divert and impound the water from any such streams as shall be specified in any such proclamation, or alter the course of any such streams. It is true that the next clause provides that all these powers must be exercised, subject to all laws and regulations for the time being in force within the gold field upon which the same are situated ; but it is almost impossible that this can be so . exercised, and there is good reason to believe that these very extensive powers must clash with the present regulations, else how can the Governor " divert or impound water from any stream," and that too, witlwut compensation ; for a special clause provides that no compensation shall be given for any d amage done by diverting or taking water. If it was intended that the Governor should simply exercise his miner's right the same as any miner or party of miners in the construction of these water-races, what was the use for the insertion of the clause providing that no compensation shall be given ? On this point we notice that all the three members for Westland spoke, and for once were wonderfully unanimons. Mr Harrison first drew the attention of the Government to a very important omission iv the clause, to provide compensation in cases where waters were taken from a head stream. It would be manifestly unfair that the Government should be allowed to take the waters without making compensation to those persons in whom the right to the water existed under the Gold Fields Act. He would suggest to the Colonial Treasurer that he should consider this provision of the Bill, so far as private rights were affected. Mr Barff said that the Colonial Treasurer appeared to think that if the word " natural" were introduced it would prevent any great injustice being done to holders of races ; but he thought that was not the case. As the clause stood at present, the water would be diverted to the manifest injury of persons who held water- rights immediately below it, and property acquired under the Gold Fields Act would be taken away from the holder of that right. Mr Yogel said the honorable member wanted to lay down the principle that there was to be compensation to all owners of water-races below the point at which the divergence would be [ made. If it were to be held that all such ! owners were to receive compensation when the stream was tapped higher up, the clause had better be struck out. The permission to the water-races which was granted was subject to regulations. If it had been so, more careful provision would have been necessary in the past. But, seeing that nearly all the streams on the gold fields had been tapped more or less, L 300,000 would be inadequate to satisfy such claims to compensation as the honorable member had indicated. Mr Kynnersley said the Governor in Council head no more right to take away a man's waterright without giving coinpenstion than to take awayanyother property. If the clause was passed . without alteration there was no security for water-races, and there was nothing to prevent the Government from taking the water-races from the creek by which properties were supplied, and thus render them valueless. He moved the striking out of the objectionable words, bnt was forced by the great opposition in the House to give in, and withdrew it. The subject may be further explained, and the apparently conflicting interests reconciled, bnt at present we confess we do not see it, and believe that in the contest the hard-working miuer will go to ! the wall.