THE SILTING QUESTION.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4498, 2 December 1909, Page 3

THE SILTING QUESTION.

DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS SUGGESTED Wellington, November 29. Mr H Poland, M.P., introduced to the the Minister for Public Works a deputation from Thames with regard to harbour and river silting difficulties. Those present were Messrs W. Scott (Thames Harbour Board), A. J. Thorpe (Ohinemuri River Silting Association), W. H. Herries (representing the Thames Borough Council), E. H. Taylor, and L. B. Phillipps, —The Thames Harbour Board—"Mr Scott said the Paeroa people, in conjunction with the Thames, desired to urge the Minister to do something to prevent the silting up of the Thames Harbour. The rivers were fast silting np, and the harbour was now being affected. Waihi tailings amounted to 1,300 tons per day. Last year it was estimated that 106,900 tons of mining tailings were emptied into the rivers. The fishing industry also was being ruined. £15,000 capital had been sunk in boats and nets, and 100 fishermen were employed. The breeding grounds and food stuffs had been destroyed, and it was impossible to get really healthy fish in the Thames Firth. Harbour Board Has Remedy— The Minister said he did not see how it was possible to preserve the fishing industry as Jlong as tailings go into the rivers. No,doubt the harbour was being affected. Did it not strike the Thames Harbour Board that it had a good case against the Waihi Company for polluting the harbour P Had they attempted to find their legal remedy ? In his opinion, they had a good case. —Other Speakers— Mr Thorpe said agricultural lands were threatened, and when the rivers were flooded, the stock stood belly-deep in water. Mr Herries urged the claims of the Te Aroha people, and said if the waterway was blocked, the position would be serious. —The Minister’s Reply— The Minister said three parties were concerned - the party that did the damage, the party that suffered, and the Government. There was no doubt that the Thames Harbour was being affected, and the Board might stop it in the way he had indicated. It would be a serious matter, of course, if the mining industry were crippled. There was a. possibility of emptying the the tailings down on to the East Coast, but that meant a scheme involving an expenditure of about £150,000. All the Cabinet Ministers had visited the locality, and were agreed that great damage was being done. Willows should be removed, but this involved a question of expenditure. He did not see that they could in any way lay a claim on the general taxpayers. The people concerned or the people who did the damage must be called upon. As soon as Cabinet had settled the financial difficulty, the way would be clear. The Department had information from every part of the world on the question of the disposal of tailings. The stacking of tailings was not an expensive thing. The Government was thinking of appointing a Royal Commission to go into the bestmeaDS of disposing of tailings. There was no trouble as far as Waikino Was concerned, but .Karangahake would be more difficult. The Government would go into the whole nriSter before long.