ALEXANDRA WATER SUPPLY.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 2, 10 November 1869, Page 2

ALEXANDRA WATER SUPPLY.

PUBLIC MEETING. j j A public meeting was held in the Town Hall, j Alexandra, on Monday evening, to consider the j best means for bringing a supply of water into the township. The Mayor (Mr Finlay) occupied the chair. He spoke of the necessity for having a supply of water, not only for domestic purposes, but sufficicnt to meet any emergency that might arise in case of fire breaking out in the town. He j thought that any practicable scheme within the | means of the municipality should receive the i sympathy and support of the public. The Town ! I Council had not been negligent in the matter, | and had taken the initiative. Ho then called | upon the Town Clerk to read to the meeting the proposal the Town Council had to make, and lie j would be glad to hear the opinion of the meeting ■ with regard to it. I he Town Clsrk then road an estimate which i had been drawn up of the cost of a water scheme, : sufficient, as the Council imagined, to supply every want. Two water-race companies hail been asked to name a sum for the supply of :

water for fourteen years. One quoted £5 and the other (the Manuherikia Ground .Sluicing i Company) £2 a-week. The estimates were then framed upon the lowest quotation ; and it ap- i poarod hy the statement read, that an extra Is (id in the £ would meet every requirement. In reply to a question put by Mr Sams on, it appeared that the quantity of water at the service of the corporation, would be ten inches, and ! that the Council had not in any way hound , themselves, but simply submitted their plan to the public for reception, rejection, or improve- ' merit ; arid were quite prepared to carry out i whatever plan might he acceptable to the in- ; habitants. Mr Cii apple had heard that the water from the source the Council proposed to take it would not he suitable for domestic purposes. M r Tiieteks described a process by which the water could be filtered, and made, he thought, 1 suitable for domestic purposes. It was suggested by Mr Bta.nh:;ooK, that before going on with such a scheme, the water should be tested to the satisfaction of the people, i Mr 1 iievers said that could he done by erect- i mg the filter before the pipes wore laid down. i Mr Ciiapple thought Mr Staubrook’s sugges- ! lion was quite pertinent to the subject ; and ; that it was highly requisite, if any schema ha! gone into, that water be brought into the town ' clean. | Mr Cameron suggostol sinking a shaft, and ! erecting a whim. l>y this means he thought an abundant supply of water could be obtained, i Mr Havers thought if the Corporation were | to purchase certain races that wore in the mar- I ket, they might not only have a sufficient supply of water for the town, but one of thoraces could 1 be let. Ho thought they could bo had fur £303, \ at the most.

The Mayor stated that these races were not for sale. Mr Ciupple thought that if the Council were satisfied that clean water could be brought from the proposed Company s race, by all means lot it be brought in, as it was the cheapest. It appeared that since some parties had, commenced mining at Young Hill Creek, the Maim herikia Gold Sluicing Company’s race, had been much disturbed, audit was doubtful if filtering , would clean it sufficiently. I Hi’ M'Kgbsie proposed— “ That the Town Clerk be instructed to take the lords, and ascertain at about what cost the water con'd he raised from the Molyneux." He believed that a waterwheel and pump could be erected to raise the water 40ffc. for the sum of £oo. Mr I’atclifff. seconded the above motion, which was carried. Mr Samson then proposed the following resolution, which was also seconded and carried,— “This meeting is of opinion that it is desirable that a supply of water should be brought into the town, and that a committee he appointed to | Hud out the best means to be adopted to further

! tlic object in view." | Mk B atcuffe moved that the committee consist of the members of the Town Council. Mr UILUIorSB thought that some of the outside public should take part in the committee, and ho would move as an amendment that the committee consist of the Town Council, and | Messrs Samson, Rivers, MTvorsie, and RaHiflc. | —Carried. I It nas then agreed that a public meeting should be called that day four weeks, to report progress. A vote of thanks to the chairman finished the proceedings.