The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 1926. STATE RIGHTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 April 1926, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 1926. STATE RIGHTS.

Tub interest manifested by the representatives of local bodies in the disposal of tile Kuiiinru-WTiinien water races, as proposed l>v the Minister of Mines, indicated the value of the rights held by the Government in the matter. The water races were constructed primarily for the benefit of gold-mining. In the early history of the Coast political issues often centred round the votes for water races perhaps, even more than for roads or railways. The Wuillicit water race was a very considerable underbaking in its day and was no mean engineering feat, nor construction feat either, seeing where the line of heavy pipes had to ho taken in days when transport facilities were not. as easy .as they are to-dav. In the same way, when tho Knniara field broke out, the need for water was the paramount request, and there is no doubt the water supply was the life of tho field. It is not surprising to learn that the race paid for itself handsomely, both directly and indirectly. The Waimea race was not as payable a proposition directly, hut indirectly it lias been of great benefit to the district, and was a factor in maintaining a considerable population over an extended term. So far a.s present day alluvial mining is concerned, the water is not in such demand, hut in a district such a.s this there are always possibilities. If the Government force a sale at this juncture the rights must he sacrificed. No price will he obtained adequate with the cost of the races, nor the valuo of the rights as water privileges. A.s water rights feeding the same area they can not lie replaced once they Pass from the Crown, for they lire the only rights of the kind commanding the country-. They possess a value it is difficult 1o assess, and a.s such it is reasonable that they should remain in possession of the Crown as State rights. We know that this is an age when Crown rights .are being parted with all too freely. The Government of the day are ready to give the freehold for valuable Crown Lands, and itlie attitude of the present Minister of Mines is to part as readily with the water rights now in question. It was well therefore that the conference took a. definite view on the matter amf protested against parting with rights of such inherent value, and rights which at any moment m)ay assume a value at tho moment tmthought of. .

We know the experience elsewhere is for such rights to be guarded very zealously. In these days of liydro-electric development all water rights have a prospective value difficult to estimate till harnessed. There is a great volume of water available, free for use as long as the races are maintained, and that insured n most valuable right for development purposes of all kinds is available for tiie future. It is to be hoped there will be no forced .sale of this valuable'State property. i, should not be impossible to arrange with the locsd bodies in the meantime to use the races on lease or hy arrangement, but the State should not part with its rights. The water can be used at Kumara for important public activities, and that use should he encouraged. As to the AV-nimca race there are possibilities for utility developments also in view, and looking to the future and what may be before the district by the extension of electric dredging, there should he no hurried sacrifice of the properties to escape the small book-keeping loss which the present retention of the races shows. The rights are inherently so valuable that the State should lie only too ready to retain 1 lie property for the good of the country and public service in the future.