WATER-POWER REGULATIONS. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2895, 8 September 1909, Page 27

WATER-POWER REGULATIONS. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

GREYMOUTH, September 6. In dealing with a letter from the Rimu Miners' Association in regard to the abnoxious water-power regulations at the meeting of the.Hokitika Borough Council he Mayor sai* he was surprised that Lhere was not an outburst of public indignation at the protracted dslay cf the Mines Department in connection with the Rimu j Flat project. Although it was fivo weeks j since the necessary deposit of £500 had j aoen paid by the syndicate, it wa 3 still j ivithout any' title whatever. The latest idviees received from tlio syndicate's repreipntative at Home went to chow that by :hc great delay that hod alroady taken jiace the chance of succes-fullv floating :he company was greatly jr-opardipecl. Tho syndicate had been moved from pillar to ■ :>ost and Minister to Minister for a period D f two years, a-ml ttlthouerh it had spent ihout £1600 it did rot have one right, rhc Mines Department was always ready , :o ?av it waft willing to a%|Ut the mining A

industry, but its attitude in regard to the Rimu scheme was" "disgraceful. It wea noticeable that in all parts of the Dominion the press was expressing amazement a 6 the conditions imposed by the Government in regard to the Rimu goldfields. No proposition had such an important bearing on the future of the district, but the pro- . tracted delay by the Government to ffivo the people what Nature- placed at theii!--doors to develop the mining industry; I endangered the success of that 6ehe_me., He hoped he petition which the Rim» Miners' Assooiation had asked them to . assist in" the way of signatures would contain the names of eight out of 10 of the people of Westland, or more than anysimilar petition presented to Parliament for many years.