SOUTHLAND TOUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 18 August 1909, Page 31

SOUTHLAND TOUR.

INVERCARGILL, August 10.

The Hon. R. M'Kenzie (Minister of Public' Works), accompanied by Mrs M'Kenzie and his private secretary^. (Mr G. E. Matthews), left Invercargill this jnorning for Orepuki with the intention of inspecting the railway extension works. Messrs W. Fraser and G. J. Anderson, M.P.'s, -Mr F. W. Furkert (District Engineer for Public Works), and Mr E. R. Green (Inspector of Mines) were also among the party, which was joined at Riverton by Mr X C. Thomson, member for Wallace. The intention had been to remain overnight at Orepuki, but owing to preeeure of business elsewhere the visit was necessarily a rather hurried one, and a return was made to Invercargill.

CONFLICTING INTERESTS.

During the journey, from Invercargill to Orepuki a deputation, consisting' of Messrs M. 0. Reichel and A. M. Dawson (president and secretary of the Orepuki Miners' Association), was introduced to the Minister by Mr 'Thomson. Mr Reichel said the Orepuki field was a poor man's field, and was worked by small companies^ with small capital. There was only one syndicate at work, the rest being merely working miners, about 50 in number. For years past they had had no trouble because their claims were on a common basis, and they had the right to conduct their operations as bona fide miners. Of late years similar applications had been made for land for settlement purposes, and while the Mining Association was .somewhat asleep a number of sections in the centre of the workings had been granted under lease in perpetuity. Their experience of mining on the freehold had .been a rather painful one, because when they found it necessary ,to do a little work over which they ha-a to shift their tail-race, or something of that kind, the farmer owning the pro- | perty came down on them at once. He understood that the land he referred to could now be taken up under renewable x lease or perpetual lease. In one case, he might inform the Minister, there were three tail-races going through one farm, and this farm also formed the outlet for five claims, which had some years' work before them. Their difficulty was that if tlie freehold of all this Jand wsus acquired they would be trespassing immediately they went outside their claims. They had no desire to slop settlement, but Orepuki was regarded ac a goldfield, and h<s thought it should be treated as such, the miner should not be put to unnecessaiy inconvenience. They were not asking that a .larger area than, say, from 1000 to 2000 acr^s should be reserved for mining purposes. Some water-races, though held by small parties, had been cut in from eight to 10 miles, and it was hard enough ior them to have to cut away the bush and do other work without having to --pay compensation. If they wanted to take their races over parts of a field they would be compelled to deal with the freeholders for the rights to shift them. ' Mr Thomson said lie agreed that the solution would be to grant the freehod subject to the rights already existing. Mr Dawson said the lease in perpetuity had been granted about two years ago, and it was doubtful whether the freehold could, be. obtained at. the presenttime.. ' '

Mr .Reichel asked if they could look for any stipulation, at all when the freehold' was granted in the way of obtaining therr rights with regard to shifting water-races.

The Minister said no stipulation of that character could be made. The only thing that could be dene would be for the freehold to be refused altogether. Of course, it. was too lat& for that to be done with regard to the particular area they had referred to. The owner now had the freehold, aitd it could not be taken from him. He advised them, however, to place the whole matter in writing, and forward it K> him through their member (Mr Thomson), so that he (the Minister) would have an opportunity of going into the CjUe&tion on his return to Wellington.

A SLUDGE CHANNEL.

A deputation from the Orepuki Miners' Association was introduced to the Minister on the train by Mr Thomson. The deputation asked that the Ohakiu Stream might be declared a sludge channel.

The Minister' replied that he would obtain a report upon the matter, and ccc if the wishes of the deputation could be given effect to.

AT OREPUKI.

On the Minister arriving at Orepuki he ' was introduced to several of the more prominent residents by the member for the district. Some delay' occurred here before a stirt could be made for Tuatapere. the present terminus of the OrcpukiWaiau line. This wa6 due Io the- fact that owing to the alteration in the arrangements the ballast engine, which was to take the Minister's carriage on, had not reached " Orepuki. ■ Not much time was lost before the party \vae speeding in the direction of Tuatapere, about 12 miles off.' It seemed as if the entire population had turned out to meet the Minister on his arrival at the terminus. Seeing that time was exceedingly precious, for the return train had to be caught at Orepuki; some 40 or more escorted the Minister to the dining "room of West's Hotel without tedious ceremonial of any kind. Considerable trouble had been gone to by the residents to do honour for the occasion, and Mr James' King, of the Wallace County Council, remarked, after a hearty attack had been made on a rer-lly excellent repast, that a lengthy toast-list had been pre pared, but tha,t would have to be dispensed with. He called upon thoee present to honoto the toast of " The King, ' the call being responded to most loyally. Mr King then, said -they were agreeably surprised to see the Minister among them, and he proposed Mr M'Kenzie's health in eulogistic 'terms. The toast was received with great heartiness, and the Minister replied in & few words. The Minister was driven as far as the Waiau River, only a few chains distant, and on ' his '. return to the hotel leceived j several deputations, the business being disposed of in st-metliing like record time.

BRIDGE FOE THE ORAWIA. Mr D. Young, in a very few words, introduced the subject of a bridge across the Orawia, the cost of which "would not be more than £500, of which the County Council was, prepai-ed to provide one-half if the Government would provide the remainder.

The Minister promised that T.he would do what he could to set the £250 for them.

RAILWAY EXTENSION.

Mr G. Scott urged the extension of the railway lip the Oravvia Valley, a distance of six or eight miles, and referred to the benefit it would be io the district. He also pointed out the disadvantages under which they laboured without it. The Minister said he would have the question of the extension inquired into and reported upon. He did not think they were so badly off, seeing they were within seven miles' of the i ail way station, but he admitted they certainly had some -disadvantage. There were thousands of people in New . Zealand not within 50 miles of a railway. He would get a report, and might get a trial survej made. He would like to get an approximate idea, of the cost, the number of people, the area to be served, and the cattle it carried.

_ HANDING THE LINE OVER.

Mr King aeked when the railway would be likely to be taken over from the Public Works Department He understood that the watec lank* miist be finiaiijj first, and that it would take three months to do that, because the timber-required to be seasoned. He -also referred to the ergine-shc-d and the turntable.

The Minister s,aid as soon :\& the railway was finished he would be quite as anxious to get rid of it as Mr King was to get it. As soon as possible it would be taken over, and in the meantime the ballast engine would have to be kept on the line, but if a train was run in for goods tlie ballast engine might be taken away. He would, however, undertake to keep the ballast engine there until the department was prepared to take the line over.

THE WAIAU BRIDGE

Mr King then mentioned tli© bridge over the Waiau, which, he pointed oat, would serve a very large district. The Minister said a deputation had already been introduced to urge that the line be - diverted, and if the line was diverted they would not acquire a bridge there. If the line \va& kept on that side of the river a traffic bridge was -wanted. He recognised they had a wealthy district, and that they would be ready to find half the money if the Government found the other half. They could rate themselves and get a. special loan for 3£ per cent., which would cost them less than paying a yuntnnn. He would have the matter reported upon.

NATIVE RESERVE. On the journey back to Invercargill a deputation -conii*tiii£ of Messrs J. Horrell, J. J. H- Maclean, and C. Sneyd, interviewed Mt M'Kenzie on the subject of a Natis-e reserve on the west side of the Waiau.

Mr Horrell said that on the other side of the Waiau River tlicfe was an area of 74.Q.Q0fi acree o{ fcyuj «£ aside, foj: landless

Natives. This land had been surveyed for several years past, but not a single Native "had yet settled on the area. He and his brother settlers had no wish to deprive the Natives of their rights, but they asked, seeing that the Natives would not make use of this land, that it should be thrown open to Europeans on long lease. There were a number of farmers' tone in the district who had been born there and trained in the bush who wanted to get hold of sections in the neighbour hood, and who were unable to do so as long as this land was locked up. The Minister said this was not a matter that came within his jurisdiction, but he would have the deputation's representations conveyed to the Ministers of Lands and Native Affairs, in order to see if it was possible for something to be done to meet. the deputation's wishes.