NORTH SHORE WATER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 224, 20 September 1940, Page 6

NORTH SHORE WATER.

If the North Shore had been suddenly afflicted with water of the quality described in the "Star" yesterday it ia probable that decisive action to ensure improvement in the future would, be taken very quickjy. Unfortunately, the problem associated with it ia old, and the failure of the local authorities over the years to grappl« with it has ' fostered a fatalistic belief that nothing ever will be dpne to end it, Yet the. continuance, and the prospect of continuance, of a water supply of objectionable qualities is due to the bickering of local bodies elected by the people thtmgelves, If the Wa,ter Board were elective the people's feeling in the matter could be expressed, and would be expressed, emphatically; but, consisting of delegates from the local bodies, the board is continually stultified by district and personal rivalries and jealousies. Some months ago it secured an independent and expert report on the rival schemes — Waitakere and Pupuke-Wairau. The, latter was favoured, on the ground of lower cost, but, very characteristi-' cally, the board has not bran able toj agree on either. It seems to have welcomed the report as a new and juicy bone of contention. The Takfipuna Council is now proposing a referendum on the rival schemes, bvit though commendable in principle this proposal has the disadvantage that preference of the people for one i scheme or the other could not, in itself, impel the board to agreement or action- There would still be full play for delaying tactics. The board does not need only a direction from the people; it also needs power t© carry out the direction. ,