Borough Council To Apply For Water Loan Authority: Mayor To Explain Scheme At Public Meeting

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 80, 11 August 1948, Page 5

Borough Council To Apply For Water Loan Authority: Mayor To Explain Scheme At Public Meeting

In view* of the fact that an objection signed by 21 ratepay- . ers and residents had been lodged, the Council, also decided that the Mayor, Mr B. S. Barry, : should explain the proposals fully at a public meeting he offered to call shortly. Objection was on the ground that the objectors believed a satisfactorygravitation scheme could possibly be • established, and wanted the Council to accede to Cr Creeke’s request for a full investigation of the possibilities of such a proposal. Do They Know All? Mr Barry said he did not think the signatories to the objection knew the correct position. There had been . several reports made on the possibilities of the Maraetotara (Wainui Te Whaita) catchment, and all had been against it. Most of the old • Councillors had been hopeful concerning a gravitation scheme. All r had become convinced, however?‘that the river scheme was the only i one. ‘No Saving In Cost Mr Barry said he believed the ob- ; jectors thought the Wainui Te Whara : might produce a saving in cost, but - the latest report of Mr R. P. Worley, v the engineer engaged for the ®ur- ) - vey, suggested that was not so. Even if a sufficient supply be conserved " behind a dam, filtration and ehlor- . ination would still be necessary, there would be no saving in cost and, moreover, pumping would still :be required, as there would be in- : sufficient pressure, v ; Should Go Ahead At this juncture he said he felt the Council should proceed imme- . diately with its application io the 'Doans Board. He also suggested calling a public meeting at which he and

With Cr J. Creeke the only dissentient, a fully attended meeting of the Whakatane Borough Council on Monday night decided to make immediate application to the Local Government Loans Board for auth- . ority to raise the £25,000 required for the new water works scheme.

any other Councillors could give the ratepayers the fullest possible information. < Cr K. Needham agreed that the sooner a move was made the better. Past History Crs C. S. Armstrong, R. S. Buttimore, R. T. Morpeth and W. Sullivan expressed like views, the lastnamed presenting the history of several past water surveys, all of which, he said, had favoured pumping as against gravitation. He said he was sure no more economical proposition could be found than the one proposed. Cr J. Creeke insisted that the headwaters of the Maraetotara stream had never been surveyed and reiterated the views expressed in his letter published in Monday’s Beacon. Cr H. G. Warren recalled that, when Mr Worley had met the Council he had said the Wainui Te Whara would not supply sufficient water lor a population of 6,000 people and would not be capable of expansion. His opinion was that it wodld not give sufficient pressure, and the cost, over £27,000, would not be justifiable. Only One Votes “No” Cr Creeke stressed that, if the gravitation system were used, the present pumping system would be available as an alternative. After voicing further opposition to the motion Cr Creeke said he .believed a public meeting a good idea. , He recorded the only vote against the Mayors motion that immediate application be made to the Local Government Loans Board for permission to raise the loan of £25,000. A Health Department report showed the present Borough water from the river germ-free.