MORTON'S DAM.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1372, 24 February 1912, Page 6

MORTON'S DAM.

INTERESTING CIVIC OUTING.

EVENTS AND SPEECHES. A. dozen or more landaus were coinml* sioned yesterday morning to convey the members of tlio City Council, their wives, and a fow ex-councillors to tho waterworks at Wainui-o-mata. It was blowing when tlio procession of carriages left the Town Hall, but, as tho city dimmed into the distance, tho weather grew bright and warm, and, in the Hurt Valley, summer reigned. , The long jog up tho Wnium Hill, everyone an opportunity of appreciating one of tho finest views in the district. Immediately below the soitly-flowmg Wuiwetu Stream wound through neat paddocks. Heyond, the broader, waters of tho Hutt Kiver carved • the holdings into curious shapes, and formed a innzo of sandy deltas wliore it joins the waters of the harbour. Wellington, in the far perspective, was loat in a golden haze, whilst right down the blue waters of the entrance a stately ship was descried making port. It was truly a scene which disclosed Wellington from ft eoemo point of viow as a haven of rare beauty.

Business and Pleasure. The annual jaunt to Wainui is *{ much a picnic as it is an inspection or the water-works, and little was left undone to make tho outing as enjoyable a« possible. Arriving at Wainui, after a, seventeen-mile rido, evoryoue's appetite was sharp-set, and all did justico to all excellent repast provided by Mr. Rowcll. of tho "Vienna/ At tho conclusion of the meal tho Acting-Mayor (Mr. John Smith) welcomed all present. He wai glad to see bo many of his old friends on tho council, and old ladies, too. (Laughter and "Oh's.") By that he meant those who had boon with them before. Among them was Mr. Aitken, ono of Wellington's ox-Mayors, and a number of old councillors, whom he was glad to notice still took an interest in the city s affairs. ■ After luncheon he invited all to visit Morton's Dam.

At Morton'i Dam, Tlio public are hardly aware of th» magnitude and technical skill which this work represents. It's the first dam of its kind.in Australasia, and represents the very latest idea in construction on a big scale. Soconlly, it dams more water than any other in New Zealand Most people, at one timo or other, havo seen earth dams, such as exist at the lower basins at Vi'ainui and Karori, aud eolid concrete dams liko tlio upner one at Karori, but hero is one of another tj-rie altogether. In brief, it is a ■ huge slab of reinforced concrete inclined upstream, supported by huge, but not ungainly, buttresses—tlio whole being knitted firmly to a great con. Crete floor wnjch terminates upstream in a big too into the solid rock. . So marked is the absence of soakag* that the ground and walls beneath tin dam, where one can move about freely, are quite dry., Indeed, it was jocularly suggested thijt'sheltered spaces under th» dam might be let as week-end whares to campers-out,' Tlio top' of the buttresses havo been bridged, and, with galvanised rails on each side, a fine twclve-foot promenade is provided. Mrs. J. P. Luke christened it th» "Morton Promenade" on tlio spot, The over-flow is not a sheer drop, as is usually tlio case. It is a scroll-shaped bank ol concrete, over which the water flow* gently, making in its descent a shimnering 'ace-curtain. A view such as was seen ' yesterday when an even half-inch of wator was slipping over the iuclino, would alike an adimrablo moving picture. At present the Gity Engineer (Mr. W. H. Morton) oxnlainoa, the water from (he now dam was" not being tapped direct for the city supply, but its overflow was running into tho lower basin, from whenco tho supply, was being obtained.. Later,, tlio dam would bo tapped direct.by a 21-inch pipe, which would work at full capacity day-and-night—using, the night hours for the filling of tho Nairn Street, Roseueath, and other district reservoirs. In the meantime the dam—seen'full for tho first timo yesterday, by members of the council —conserves 120,000,000 gallons of water. The aggregation of mountain water forms a Jake of great scenic beauty. On all sides the magnificent bush descends to the water's edge; great treeferns spread'their fronds over its placid 'surface; and the bell-bird sounds its lonely note in the thicket. After a succession of sylvan bays, made by tho formation of the hillsides, the lake narrows gradually into a river, and then a sunlit sparkling stream, where the stag at evo may drink his fill in full security, for all it sanctuary. Some of the party made for tho solemn shades of the forest to seek the rarer ferns j othors gathered blackberries, and a inorry party ■ oxplorcd tho lake, per boat All agreod that Mr. Morton should bo engaged as chief scenery-manufacturer for tho Dominion.

A Greit Work. Back again to tho big marquee, nil parties troopod at i o'clock, and took afternoon tea. At its conolusion, Mr. John Ejniith. callod upon Mr. J. Q. W, Aitken to make a few remarkn. The ex-Mayor said that it was fivo of six years since he had visited Wainui, and lie wished to say, in contradistinction to what the Acting-Mayor had said, that a good many of tho ladies whom he Bavr thou ho had soon thoro beforo, and they all looked as young and fresh as thor woro then. (Laughter and applause.) lit would also liko to eny how pleased he was to be there, and that, as ex-Mayor of £ho city, he took a continual interest in its affairs, and was always watching what was being done through tho reports in papers. Ho congratulated the City Council on tho good work which they wera doing. He did not think that citizens realised tho hard work done and tim« spent in carrying on tho work of tho city. Ho thought that tho council did ns well, if not better, than any other city in Now Zealand. Thoy handled a groator number of services than tho others. Dunedin for its drainago had a separate board, Christchnrch had a Tramways Hoard, and Auckland had not tho tramways to look after—so Wellington had more services to arrange and direct than any other New Zealand city—the people did not seom to realise that. Personally, ho was gkd that all the services had remained in tho hands, ri tho council. 11a did not beliovo in a multiplicity of boards that wero responsible to no ono but themsolves. (Hear, hear.) If the council was not capable of managing these affairs, boards were not. Ho wished to congratu. Into tho council on tho recent work done in Hint neighbourhood (Wainui)—(lie fine work known as tho Morton dam. It was a work that would Inst for generations, and lie was certain that, when ho had passed away, thoro would bo others to spook In tho highest terms of tho great work and tho able manner in which it had been carried out He thanked tho council for tho manner in which it had royally entertained them, and concluded with a, call for cheers for tho council, Mr. W. H. Morion, and Mr. J. R. Palmer (Town Clerk). Tho party arrived back in town ut C.« p.m.