LOAN REJECTED.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19172, 1 December 1927, Page 9

LOAN REJECTED.

RICCARTON WATER SUPPLY RESULT OF POLL. By 635 votes to 254 the ratepayers of Ricearton Borough yesterday rejected a proposal to raiso a loan to establish a high-pressure water system. Tho small number of residents who collected outside the Ricearton Borough Council Chambers to hear the result accepted it with general approval. Of the nineteen hundred names on the roll only 911 voted. Tho detailed voting was:—

The Mayor's Comment. "In view of the result I expect most of you are cheering the opposition." said tho Mayor, Mr 11. Manhire, to the ratepayers assembled after the result of tho" poll had been declared. "X am certain, however, that after threo months' experience with tho sewerago system you will be jeering them." Tim high-pressure water system and the sewerage should havo come hand in hand and ho had hoped that they would, but tho decision was entirely in tho hands of tho ratepayers. They had not receivod as much help for tho causa from certain quarters as they might have, particularly from tho Drainage Board and tho Health Department. It meant that most of them would havo to install eloctric pumps if they desired sewerago connexion, as the Department would not link up whero they had merely windmills or rams.

A voice: They aro doing it. Mr Manhire: Woll, they will not de it as a general rule. Mr H. O. Livingstone's View. "Tho result* shows that the Council would havo boen well-advised to have had a free and frank discussion on the question beforo putting tho ratepayers to tho expense of a poll," said Mr H. G. Livingstone when the result of the poll was made known to him.

ONE SYSTEM DESIRABLE,

FROM HEALTH VIEWPOINT.

From the viewpoint of health, it would be better for all the Buburbs to join up with the City high-pressure water supply as soon as possible, stated Dr T. F. Telford, Medical Health Officer. . In a private supply there was mucli more danger of contamination, because of faulty bores causing leakage and open tanks, where a certain amount of foreign matter was bound to collect. Moreover, there was evidence that the artesian supply was steadily decreasing; indeed, it must bo so with the huge pumping stations put in by tho Council and with other private calls being made on it.

Goitre and Water. Dr. Tolford was not prepared to say which was the better water for drinking purposes, but stated that investigations regarding certain deficiencies in water being the cause of the prevalence of goitre were showing that water had not so much to do with it as had been supposed. Certainly there were certain waters deficient in iodino, but there were also iodine deficiencies in the soil and vegetables grown on such soil. Investigations were being made into the properties of tho City's drinking water, but so far sufficient data had not been collected from wliich to deduce anything of value. Dr. Telford mentioned the plabta of Lombardy" in Italy as a most interesting example of the manner in which, goitre increased and decreased in a particular locality. Three hundred Sears ago, when tho basaltio rook on the plains was crumbling, goitre, was so prevalent among the Lombards that the menace was even mentioned in the literature and art of the community. To-day the basaltio rock was still crumbling, and soil and water conditions were ostensibly tho same, yet there was no more than the normal amount of goitre in Lombardy.

For, ar. Inf. Clarence street . . 144 295 7 Hanna's Store . , 35 154 8 Dudley street ., 25 03 4 Puriri street ., . 34 PG o Declaratory . 16 27 1 Totals . 254 635 22