THE CANAL SCHEME.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 319, 10 December 1910, Page 3

THE CANAL SCHEME.

CONFERENCE OF DELEGATES AT HAMILTON. A conference of delegates from the Auckland Harbour Board and various local bodies from Onehunga to the King Country was held in the Town Hall, Hamilton the other afternoon. Mr F. H. Sims represented Te Kuiti. The conference, which had been arranged by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, was presided over by Mr H. H. Howden, president of the Chamber of Commerce.

Before the meeting opened a letter was read from Mr H. Atkinson, of Auckland, giving at length his opinion as to the construction of the canal, etc. The writer stated that he considered a canal, connecting the Waikato and Manukau would be of farreaching importance.

The first speaker was Mr A. J. Entrican. chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board, who stated that he thought this conference was the most important one yet held in connection with the canal scheme, and favoured the scheme generally. He then moved "That in the opinion of this conference the time has now arrived when it is absolutely necessary to take such steps as will secure canal connection between the Auckland and Manukau harbours, and also between Manukau harbour and the Waikato river. The latter is urgent on account of the wonderful development of the Waikato and the necessity of securing cheap transit to Auckland, which must be the natural outlet for the Waikato produce. The former is important in order that the west coast districts from Taranaki to Ilokianga should be brought into closer touch with Auckland by the more direct and cheaper conveyance of goods which a canal would secure."

Mr J. S. Bond, Hamilton, said all were argeed that water carriage was the cheapest that could be obtained and favoured the scheme.

Mr J. E. Taylor, Mangere, said he had supported the scheme for 29 years. Mr L. J. Bagnall, Mayor of Auckland, said he would like to know what attitude the Railway Department would take in the matter.

Mr J. M. Mennie, Auckland, stated that Auckland business men were determined to help along the scheme as far as they could. Colonel Bell, Hamilton, thought the scheme was within easy reach of acomplishment. Mr W. A. Graham said the desire of every thinking man in the province was that the canal should be completed and at once.

Messrs R. T. Michaels, E. C. Shepherd, E. Ford, T. Finlayson, J. Sturges, S. J. Harbutt. J. H. Bradney, J. A. Young, G. Brady, J. P. Bailey, J. Fisher, spoke in favour of the scheme. Mr C. Barriball, Waiuku, said the Waiuku people wanted a railway but also wanted the canal.

Mr C. Johnstone, Raglan, asked for a definite scheme as to how the funds were to be raised. Mr H. Marsland, Raglan, asked who was going to pay for the work. He thought that it should be carried out by private enterprise. Mr Entrican, in reply, stated that he thought the criticism of the scheme had been of a feeble nature and stated that the canal would reclaim sections which would be worth a lot of money. The motion was put and carried unanimously. Mr J. A. Younj*, Hamilton, moved: —"That in the opinion of this conference the construction of the Auck-land-Manukau canal and the WaiukuWaikato canal should be undertaken by the Auckland Harbour Board, it being the only authority competent to carry out the work; and that this conference requests the Auckland Harbour Board to obtain statutory authority for the purpose of (a) acquiring the necessary land for canal construction; (b) constructing the aforesaid canals; (c) exercising control over the waterways between Auckland and the Waikato river." The motion was carried.

Mr J, E. Taylor, president Manu-kau-Tamaki Canal Promotion Association, moved: —"That the Auckland Harbour Board be requested to confer at an early date with the representatives of those local bodies who have control of the Mangere and Tamaki bridges, as both these structures will have to be replaced by new ones almost immediately, arid it will be a mutual advantage to have them erected of such a character as will best conduce to the requirements of both navigation and road traffic." Seconded by Mr A. A. Creamer, Auckland, and carried unanimously, also a motion proposed by the chairman that the Auckland Harbour Board be requested to carry out the scheme.