WATERWAYS COMMISSION

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 567, 17 September 1920, Page 2

WATERWAYS COMMISSION

RESUSCITATION DECIDED ON IMPROVEMENT OF WAIKATO i RIVER. AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE, j Mr. Edward Hallet, Mercer, secretary of the Vigilance Committee, at a recent meeting of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, wrote that at a meeting of the ratepayers of the Waikato Drainage District, a committee had been r.ot up to push forward the work of improving the Waikato River, both from a drainage and navigation point of view, and invit- ! ing the chamber to appoint a deleJ gate to attend a conference at Mer- ; cer to-morrow (Saturday). ! The president stated that the chamber had always taken a keen : interest in the navigation of tlie ' Waikato River, and had been worki ing on the matter for years. When the war broke out the Waterways

Commission was investigating, but upon the outbreak of the war its | activities had been suspended, a promise being given that when matters returned to normal it would be revived. When Mr. Wilford was Minister of Marine he evinced a keen interest in the Waikato, being greatly ' impressed with its potentialities, and his assistance in furthering the matter could be relied upon. Mr. Stevenson explained that his company was most anxious that something should be done in the direction of improving the river for 1 navigation purposes. The Waikato River Board had been working for ! years, but it was really a drainage board, and its policy had not been . very, successful; its operations were ' now suspended, it being in bad odour ; with the ratepayers. He had at- ■ tended the meeting at Mercer some 1 time ago, and had impressed upon j those present that the best thing j they could do was to convene a con- ' ference of representatives of all in-

terested 1 bodies in the province

with the idea of urging upon the Government, to do something comprehensive, both in the way of draining the land in the lcrtv-lying areas and improving the river for navigation. It was a big work, and to do it they would iiave to get a proper board, with ample powers, constituted. And to be successfe 1 , it was necessary that everybody who was at all interested should show that interest in a practical way. He had heard from the Hon. Sir W. H. Herries, the Minister of Marine, that the Waterways Commission was to be again set up, and it beljoved tiirm to exert all the pressure they could .to ensure that the Waikato should he accorded preference when that commission began its investigations. They were entitled to that as it was chiefly owing to the representations from this neighbourhood that the original commission had been constituted. When Mr. Wil ford was Minister of Marine lie had promised that certain rocks would be blasted and that a wharf ad sheds would be erected at the Waikato Heads. The first matter had been carried out. but nothing had been done in regard to the others. It might be said that he was endeavouring to fuither the interests of his company, but it was a matter which affected the whole of the Waikato district, and he appealed to Llit- chamber to Jo its utmost to fur-

titer it, and appoint delegate.! to at tend the conference.

It was decided that the president and vice-presidents should represent t'>e chamber.