RIVERS IMPROVEMENT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5157, 27 July 1927, Page 1

RIVERS IMPROVEMENT.

WAIIIOU AND (JIIINEMI'RI SCHEME

MR. SAMUEL ON THE SUBJECT.

Referring to Hie Waihou and Ohinemuri Rivers Improvement Scheme in tin' House on July 8. Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P. for Ohinemuri. stated :— ‘•I know that it is anathema in the ear-, of some of the Ministers of the Crown : and I do not altogether wonder at it, because this schaine has cost a gic-at deal mere than was originally intended. It was a scheme that was- taken up on the recommendation of a Commission set up in HHO, and it was to cost f 150,000. It was a river-improvement scheme, an 'embankment scheme ; but it has since developed into a gigantic land-diain-age scheme, and the cost has run into something like- £750,00'0. with the end not yet in sight. I want to suggest to the Government, as I have done on a previous occasion, that it would be quite unfair to endeavour to load the whole- of this cost, or even any portion of it, on to the backs of the settlers, because they .could not stand it, To my mind the wrong method was adopted in the first place by the Government. Knowing what would be the result Of this huge drainage scheme in relation to the land, it was their duty to resume the whole of the. land in the basin, and then apportion it out, and get the- unearned increment caused through betterment. However the Government did not do that, the settlers bought the land, and they sold it at tremendous advances and got away with the swag ; and now the men who are left have to carry the burden. To my mind this scheme should be classed as- a national undertaking. I hope, that the Government will view the matter in the same light. The Minister of Lands and the Minister of Public Works visited the district some little while- back, and were very sympathetic towards, the settlers as far as; their drainage was concerned. They have gone to no end of trouble to meet the settlers in every possible way and to get them out of their difficulties, because this, stop-banking has caused the lands inside to flood to such an extent that the settlers have been living in fear of their lives and wanting to get out of it. There is- no more terrifying thing than for a farmer to be in constant fear of a flood which might wash him out of his home at any moment. The Ministers have done all they possibly could to alleviate that position, and to extend to those farmers the relief to which they were entitled.

“There is another aspect of this drainage scheme that I would like to touch upon, and that is the damage that is done to certain settlers. For the carrying out of the scheme several properties have had to be completely severed; canals have had to be cut right through ; and,’ unfortunately, the Government says that there is no law by which it can assist these settlers. It is- manifestly unfair to ruin one man, even for the Dene-lit of other settlers, and I say that was never the intention of tire Legislature. It was never the intention of Parliament to pass an Act which would benefit a certain section of the community and ruin others without giving the latter compensation. If the Government cannot give those prejudically affected compensation under this scheme, then I would suggest that it immediately «et machinery in motion which will amend the legislation and enable the Government to give compensation where compensation is due. We have had several petitions on this and other matters, and it seems incomprehensible that nothing results. Petitions Committees are set up for the purpose of going thoroughly into the pros and cons of the petitions that are placed before them. These petitions are given the fullest consideration ; they are judged on their merits: leeommendations are- brought in for favourable consideration ; and that, in a great number of cases, is all we ever hear of them. I cannot understand it. Of course I am a young member of the House-, and perhaps this has been the practice from time immemorial, but if it has been, then all 1 can say is that it is time it was altered.”