RIVER POLLUTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1074, 25 July 1912, Page 3

RIVER POLLUTION.

CHIEF JUSTICE’S DECISION

DEPUTATION WAITS ON THE PRIME MINISTER.

A deputation, introduced by Mr D. Buick, M.P., and numbering about forty, interviewed the Hon. W. F. Massey (Prime Minister) at Palmerston North on Tuesday, in reference to. the recent decision of Sir Robert Stout, C.J,, in reference to flaxmillers discharging their drains into rivers and streams. The deputation was representative of the flaxmilling and dairying industries. Mr E. E. Broad stated the case for the flaxmillers. He explained that an action had recently been taken by a farmer against four mills on the Oroua River. In giving judgment, the Chief Justice had said that defendants could not put the effluents from their mills into a river and so pollute it, although an important industry might suffer bv the prohibition, and the pollution of the river might, inflict only slight damage on the plaintiffs. Mr Broad went on to state that injunctions would probably be issued against these millers. The injunction had been applied for, but had not been granted as yet. Flaxmillers deemed it necessary to apply for some relief if their industry was to continue. Under the mining Act of 1908 the Governoi was empowered to make regulations from time to time, at his discretion, setting apart any water-course, in whole or part, as one into which waste water might be discharged, and upon the banks ot which mining operations might be carried on. - Similar regulations might meet the case of flaxmllling. It this could be done, the Government might bring down special legislation that would enable flaxmillers to carry on their industry' under Government regulations. The millers would lie content to have a heavy penalty imposed for breach ot such regulations as the Government considered necessary. They did not wish to oppose the riparian law or to in any way infringe 1 -u:i;mUed that the industry suoiua ue allowed to continue under Government inspection. In the Mauawatu district, flaxmili employees were paid ,£12,500 a month in wages. From a thousand to twelve hundred men were employed at the mills, and there weie in the district 23,000 acres ol flax land which would be practically waste land in the absence 01 the industry. Eightyfive per cent, of the whole flax output for New Zealand came from the Manawatu district. The industry was a very big thing indeed to the North Island, and to the Manawatu district in particular. This was not a political, but a national question, and he hoped that everybody on all sides would see it in that light.

Mr F. J. Nathan spoke on behalt of the dairy companies.

Mr J. A. Nash, Mayor of Palmerston, said the judgment was a menace to the flaxmilling and dairying industries not only in this district but throughout the Dominion.

Other speakers were Messrs R S. Abraham, Whittaker, and R, Gardiner.

The Prime Minister, in replying, said that a very serious difficulty had occurred, and one that might cause serious injury to two of our most important industries. This had come upon him very suddenly, and he had not had time to look upon the legal side df the question. He was not for one moment reflecting upon the decision of the Chief Justice, because he believed —it might be presumptuoustof him to say so—that the decision had been perfectly right. On returning to Wellington, he would refer the matter to the Attorney-General, with a view to rinding a solution of the difficulty which would enable land owners to enjoy riparian rights, and would at the same time protect these two industries —aud many others which were likely to be affected in the same way—from unnecessary interference which might cripple or possibly kill them. He wanted them to understand that the Government would do their duty in this connection. One speaker had suggested that the matter was one of urgency. The Government would—by legislation or otherwise—give these two industries and the people connected with them the protection to which they were undoubtedly entitled, and that without delay. Mr Buick thanked the Prime Minister for receiving the deputation.