HOROWHENUA LAKE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10276, 10 May 1919, Page 8

HOROWHENUA LAKE

Tip: MAORI FISHING RIGHTS. The question of lowering the Horowheuua Hake level by' drainage was brought before the Hdhs. Sir I’Tanci* Bell (Attorney-General) and G. W. Russell (Minister for Internal Affairs) by deputation from the! ‘Horowhenua County Council and the Lake Domain Board.

Mr W. H. Field, M.P., stated that the two bodies in 1916 ‘Were given tlio powers of a drainage board. in order that they might preserve a acres of valuable land oh the borders' of the lake, which had become waterlogged. To drain the the bodies proposed to lower the level! of the lake by 18in by clearing the (outlet, the Hokio stream. ■ It now appeared tliat they had no power, as drainage boards had, to deepen the watercourse, and they were threatened with an injunction to restrain them from injuring the fishing rights which the Natives had ■ iuthe stream. It was proposed only to\ clear the stream for three or four chains, and this would not,affect the fishing rights. !

Mr A. .Monk, chairman of the County Council, said that evidence ,-cbuld bo produced that the works proposed would not lower tiho lake level below What it was five years ago. • • Sir Francis Bell remarked that ho could not see how the Native fishing tits would suffer by lowering the level of the lake. it was a question whether . lie Minister for Internal Affairs'.should not have power tp confer on local authorities tne powers of drainage boards to meet such a case., Mr Russell advised the deputation to ascertain exactly what its legal powers were, and advise him if they were Insufficient. He would then consider whether it was desirable that further power should be conferred. He wished it to be clear that he was opposed to th« drainage of lakes which would destroy natural beauty spots.

Members of the deputation agreed with this. They desired only to restore the former level of the lake so that valuable land might again bo brought' into use.