H.-5

1917. NEW ZEALAND.

WAIKATO RIVER COMMISSION (REPORT OF THE).

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

COMMISSION. Liverpool, Governor-General. To all to whom these presents shall come, and to Frederick William Furkert, Esquire, Inspecting Engineer, Public Works Department, Wellington; Charles Rankin Vickerman, Esquire, Civil Engineer, Wellington; and William Charles Kensington, Esquire, of Marton : Greeting. Whereas, in pursuance of the powers conferred upon it by the Land Drainage Act, 1908, the Drainage Board of the Akaaka Drainage District constructed certain drains emptying into the Waikato River for the purpose of draining certain lands within the boundaries of the said district: And whereas, in pursuance of the powers conferred upon it by the River Boards Act, 1908, the River Board of the Waikato River District constructed certain groynes in the Waikato River near the outlets of the aforesaid drains : And whereas it is represented to me that the said groynes are causing part of the Waikato River to silt up in such a manner as injuriously to affect certain reclaimed lands outside the boundaries of the said river district and within the boundaries of the said drainage district, by stopping the outlets of the said drains and preventing the egress therefrom into the Waikato River of the water carried by the said drains : And whereas it is desirable that inquiry be made into the matter of the silting-up of the said river and the stopping of the outlets of the said drains : Now, therefore, 1, Arthur William de Brito Savile, Earl of Liverpool, the Governor-General of the Dominion of New Zealand, in pursuance and exercise of the power and authority conferred upon me by the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1908, and of all other powers in anywise enabling me in this behalf, and acting by and with the advice of the Executive Council of the said Dominion, do hereby appoint you, the said Frederick William Furkert, Charles Rankin Vickerman, and William Charles Kensington, to be a Commission under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1008, for the purpose of holding an inquiry and making a report upon the following matters and the necessity for any legislation relating thereto : - 1. Whether the said groynes are necessary either for protection of the bank of the Waikato River, or to improve the river for the purposes of navigation or discharge of flood-waters effectively.