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1908. NEW ZEALAND.

POLLUTION OF THE KAIKORAI RIVER AND THE DRAINAGE OF THE KAIKORAI VALLEY (REPORT BY COMMISSIONER SHORT ON THE).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

EEPOET.

Department of Roads, Wellington, N.Z., 4th July, 1908. To His Excellency the Right Hon. William Lee, Baron Plunket, Knight, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Dominion of New Zealand. May it please Your Excellency,— I have the honour to submit for Your Excellency's consideration the following report on the subject of the pollution of the Kaikorai Stream and the drainage of the Kaikorai Valley, pursuant to the terms of a Commission issued under the hand of Your Excellency in Council and dated the 23rd May, 1908. This Commission instructs me to report upon the following matters, viz. : — I. The pollution of the Kaikorai River; 11. The best means of preventing such pollution; 111. What authority should be set up to carry out such means of prevention; and IV. How the cost of any works to be carried out should be apportioned among the several local authorities interested in the matter. It appeared from the departmental papers handed to me by the Health Department that the following local authorities, &c, were interested in this matter — viz., Taieri County Council; Dunedin City Council; Dunedin Drainage Board; the Green Island, Mornington, Roslyn, and Maori Hill Borough Councils; and the Health Department —and all these parties were therefore cited to appear at the Arbitration Court, Dunedin, on the 24th June last, on which date the inquiry was commenced, and the parties were all represented. The inquiry was concluded on Tuesday, the 30th June; but before it was commenced I went with Dr. Ogston, the local Health Officer, over the ground, and both at that time and subsequently I saw the state of the stream. A large amount of evidence was given at the inquiry by or on behalf of the local authorities, and also by persons who are interested in the principal industries carried on in the Kaikorai Valley.

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