THE MARLBOROUGH RIVERS ACT.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 153, 16 January 1869, Page 4

THE MARLBOROUGH RIVERS ACT.

PUBLIC MEETING.

According to notice published in our last, a considerable number of the farmers and others resident in the Wairau. assembled the Big Bush on Thursday afternoon last. His Honor W. H. Eyes, Esq., M.H.R., having been voted to the chair, and the notice read, The Chairman said he had published the notice haring received a requisition, signed by thirty-five of the settlers, and at the time he was requested to attend to-day, as it might be their desire that he should take the chair. His own feelings were that he should not attend, because the Act rendered it necessary that himself in another position should take ulterior steps in the matter, provided that meeting decided that they should petition for the Act being brought into operation ; but he thought afterwards that, as the representative of the Wairau,' it would not be out of place that he should come, as he had always taken a deep interest in the prosperity of the district of die Wairau proper. He would inform the meeting about the steps they had to take before the. Act could be bro ightinto operation. It appeared to him that some of the provisions were unworkable—-namely, those amendments that had been introduced by the wisdom of the Legislative Council. The Act had been previously passed by the House of Representatives, and it could have been brought into operation in a simple manner. At the request of not less than 50 persons, the Superintendent could have brought the Act into operation; or even without that, acting with the advice of the Provincial Council. But the Legislative Council struck out that clause, and introduced another, to the effect that the Act could be,brought Into operation upon the petition of the owners or occupiers of not less than three-quarters of the acrage. The Superintendent might alter the boundaries ; and it was a question whether, il he enlarged them, the extra number of proprietors should be taken into consideration or not. He might remark that any amendments made by the Council were always submitted afterwards to the House of Representatives for its concurrence. - It might be asked why he did not procure a conference for amending ? but it was only on the Saturday before the Tuesday morning when the Assembly was to adjourn’ that,,these alterations were seat down. He thought there-was not time, aud that they might haVe no Act sit all if he called for a conference j and they might ask a future Assembly to amend It. That appeared to him to he the only explanation he could

make. He was sorry there was not so large a meeting as he expected to see, but that perhaps arose from its being the busy season of the year. The only step the meeting could take, was to resolve amongst themselves, and induce their friends to join in a petition to enable him to bi ing the Act into operation. If that were not accomplished, it would he owing to the Inapplicability of that clause which, if he sat at the next Assembly, he would got amended. He thought there was no time to be lost, and action was necessary for the imme date salvation of the district. He induced Mr. Stafford to allow' Mr. Balfour, at a small cost to the Province, to see as to the best means for checking the overflow of the rivers. It would oe for the Concervators to see whether his opinions should be adopted or not. He trusted that anything that had hitherto taken place in reference to the visitation of the district might not be alluded to, as it was likely to lead to some angry feeling. As to what had taken place, that was a matter for the future. It would be for the ratepayers to say whether any moneys expended previously should be liquidated by a special rate or by any other means. They should simply confine themselves to what was to be done ; whether they could get the necessary number of acreage proprietors to consent to petition him to bring th ■ Act into operation. He regretted the absence of Mr. Henry Dodson, of Blenheim, as he took such an interest from the first, and might have afforded many explanations necessary during the course of the discussions, and advised in the future direction they wished to take to bring this matter to an issue.

Mr. Sinclaik, in rising to make a few remarks, would wish to say that these did not depend on his own judgment, but arose from real knowledge. It had been a matter of toil and trouble, and it was not the Superintendent’s fault that the Act had not properly passed. Let them not rake up the past; they had a difficulty to contend with—were they men en nigh to try to meet it with prudence and perseverence. He hoped they would all prove good workmen, and work so as to make every one safe. They should not shut but open their eyes ; and no doubt they would be able to face the difficulty. They must pull together, to see the many vacant acres made into smiling fields and gardens. There were only two ways, to face the difficulty, or to run away from it

Mr. Picton inquired, supposing they got the requisite number of signatures, what benefit would they derive ? The Chaiknan could not say what benefit they might derive. Their first step would be to appoint Conservators, and it would depend on the works they instituted what benefit would be derived. Hitherto all moneys had been expended for injury rather than benefit ; but he hoped it would be different for the future. He feared it would be an expensive matter, and it was for the owners of the land to say whether they would go to the expense to reclaim their land from floods, or abandon it. He hoped the persons they appointed would conduce towards benefit by any rates that might be levied. Mr. Henderson said it seemed to him the first question was, whether they should bring the Act into operation. He could not tell the public feeling in the matter. There was no doubt but a deal of property was being damaged by the floods. They knew they ought to be ever ready to grapple with anything opposed to their united interests. The question was, should they allow those rivers to go on as they had done for years, and allow all their labour to be swept to destruction, or, as rational beings, attempt to regulate the rivers ? The rivers themselves were a natural power, and might be directed. Undirected, they would work mischief ; directed, they would cause infinite blessings. It seemed they were all agreed it would be highly proper to have a river commissioner to direct their attention to regulate these rivers. Several of them tried to get the matter before the Legislature of the country. They said they wanted some Act to give them authority. They did not ask for money, but for the power to carry out works. An Act had been passed, which was not all that could have been desired. The question was, whether they should do something under the Act they had got, or do nothing ? If a man waited till he should get the best tools before he did any work, he might never start to do it at all; but a person '.who used what tools he could get, was sure to get along. He then proposed

••• That it is desirable that the * Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough Rivers Act’ sho dd be brought into operation within this portion of the Province.”

Some desultory remarks having been made by some of the audience about dividing into districts, and expending the monies collected in each district upon it alone, Mr. Sinclair said they could not deal with a river a mile here and a mile there, but they must tackle it altogether ; they must tackle it as the source of the evil. Mr. George Dodson thought this was a Provincial matter, and should be brought into operation as far as possible. He was surprised there had been so little preparation to lay the subject before the meeting. Reference had been made to Spring Creek, and he did not know what the feelings of others there might be, but he had no objections himself to the Rivers Act, but unless careful they might be praying under the memorial for what would do injury hereafter. He thought the middle of the district was that most affected ; others should deal with their own rivers There should have been some idea given of the probable mode of operating on the place, which he considered should be the upper end. He did not think the Spring Creek people would object to bringing the Opawa into the Wairau river.

The Chairman said the Act provided that land not liable to actual damage should pay a minor rate. Mr. Dodson appeared to recommend what he must deprecate—that places affected by floods should be divided into districts—because if so, one district would fall foul of another ; one might put up embankments that might throw water upon another. The work at Spring Creek already had injured other parts of the Province. The object of this Act was of larger import- it was to carry the water clear of everybody, and carry it away from a neighbour as well as one’s self. It was detrimental to the interests of the district that works should be allowed that would injure other parts to the benefit of merely one. Mr. Pioton said there were many there who did not know the Act; he did’nt, and would propose that the meeting adjourn till that day week.

Mr. Rusn'seconded the amendment, which, on being put, was lost, and the original resolution carried. Mr. Henderson proposed •• That a Committee be appointed to draw up a petition to the Superintendent to brings the Act into operation, within boundaries to be defined in such petition. Committee to consist of the following gentlemen Messrs. C. Eyles, A. McAllum, E. Paul, H. Redwood, jun., and H. Dodson.” Mr. Rush seconded the motion, which was carried. A vote of thanks was then given to the Chairman for his services in the chair.