WARDEN’S COURT, HOKITIKA

Hokitika Guardian, 31 January 1920, Page 1

WARDEN’S COURT, HOKITIKA

FRIDAY, JANUARY 30th, 1920.

(Before E. O. Levvey, Esq. Warden'

The Court sat at 2.30 p.m. The following business, adjourned from the previous day, was dealt with : APPLICATION FOR WATER RACE. James Park (Mr Murdoch) licenso for water race, Kanieri Lake. Objected to by Kanieri Power Ltd. (Mr Pilkington). The application was for a water race from Kanieri Lake, the objection being made that the granting of this right would interefere with the present rights of the Power Company. For the objectors, Mr Pilkington led the following evidence— James S. (Langford, manager for the Kanieri Power Ltd., deposed his company held the rights of Kanieri.Lake water race to lift 50 heads from Kanicri Lake. This was the prior right. The Borough Council has a second right to live head. A third right was at present held by H. tL. Michel (Batson and party) for 50 heads. Kanieri Pow- i cr, Ltd., had an agreement to supply light to the Borough Council. It was considered that the water available would all be utilised in supplying the power required, and they had been advised to look further afield for the supply of extra power that was expected to 1 be required in the near future. In January, 1919, made a test of the water in the race which showed there was then only 44 heads.

To Mr Murdoch—There was no objection made by the Borough Council or Mr; Michel. The latter water right was not made or used. At the present time the Kanieri Power, Ltd., race was using 37 heads of water to keep the power running, and for power for a sawmill plant. The capacity of the race at the intake was 50 heads and 37 heads at the other end.

For the applicant, Mr Murdoch called—-

James Park, who gave evidence that he was representing a large American company as trustee in this application, and his action in applying had been ratified by cable. If the application was granted it was proposed to take the water from the other end of the Lake, some four miles from the intake of the Kanieri Power, Ltd., intake. He had never saw less than 50 heads flowing down Kanieri river from the Lake. Prior to putting in the application, witness interviewed Mr Langford, who had stated his company had no objection. He had then put in the application, and now found that Mr Lang, ford was objecting to it. • To Mr Pilkington—The American Company holds an option to purchase' the Kanieri Lake rights. It was not a fact that he had advised Mr Langford that, he held the rights applied to at the disposal of the Kanieri Lake Company. (The letter w r as handed in, its contents not bearing out the context of the question). The Warden .said he did not consider the objection a reasonable one, and it. could not be upheld'. The objection would be dismissed, counsel’s fee £5 being allowed to applicant. In connection with the application itself he had yet to be satisfied on a couple of matters referred to in. the report of thelnspector of Minos'. There was .the question of the level of tlie Lake and that of interference with the scenic reservations. He would require to have further information on these questions. The application would he adjourned accordingly. A SIMILAR APPLICATION.

James A Murdoch, application for a water race, Kanieri Lake, 100 heads. Mr Murdoch said this w r as in the same position as the foregoing application. —Adjourned for one month.