Waitaki River

We have a case, which I've just written about, Paul, which was heard in the High Court in February, March, and April of last year, an eight-week hearing, We still don't have a decision on that because Ngāi Tahu want control over South Island fresh water.

They've already taken $100 million from the power company for the use of water on the Waitaki River.

We know they've just been given preferential rights to be the operators of Molesworth Station.

Are you worried that there is a movement, it would seem, in inside parts of the current government to be just a bit too nice and a bit too generous to to these very, very wealthy uber tribes such as Ngāi Tahu here on the South Island and in Tainui up north?

The highest peak in this district is Mount Tindall on the divide itself, but practically unknown as indeed is the whole of this district above the snow line.

The next and last river flowing to the east coast which need be mentioned is the Waitaki River, one of the largest in the South Island.

Its two main branches take their rise from the chief glaciers on the eastern slopes of the main range.

The northern branch comes from the Klassen and Godley glaciers under the name of the Godley River flowing into Lake Tekapo and leaves it as the Tekapo River till it unites with the Pukaki River.

The main or central branch comes from the four great glaciers, the Murchison, Tasman, Hooker and Muller, and flows for 30 miles under the name of Tasman River into Lake Pukaki and thence continues as the Pukaki River until it is joined by the Tekapo River, the two forming, with other more southerly tributaries, the great Waitaki River.

My personal explorations on the eastern slopes of the Southern Alps have been confined to the headwaters and glaciers of the central branch of this river, and I shall give more detailed information of that district in a later chapter.

The western slopes and offshoots of the main range are very precipitous, and the rivers, though of considerable size, are comparatively short and, descending very rapidly, have cut deep, impassable gorges through the mountains.