AT WAINUI.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1981, 11 February 1914, Page 9

AT WAINUI.

COUNCIL'S ANNUAL INSPECTION; ; PICNIC AND SPEECHES. The Mayor\-'(Mr.. J."'p!'.Luke)'. f nntl 'members -of tho City C'ouilcil, 'accompanied by their wives, arid 'a-, number, of friends, paid a visit'to .the waterworks at. yesterday.' There 'was a party .of about fifty all', told;"who were convoyed, to the. reservoir in motor-cars and landaus. ' The long drive along tho waterfront, across the 'iioiv' Hutt Bridge,'- and' • over the • steep' Wainui hill was highly enjoyable., Thoso who .had never made the trip before were delighted'with tho glorious panorama which spreads out before tho eyes .'from' the . summit., of .the , hill. Away to the south, dimming in the distance,; is Cook . Strait, seen through the'harbour gate ;at Pencarcow, and a degree or two to the west,.tho diui-col-' oured ogglomoratioinbf, buildings dis-,. closes/the 'city itself. In/the middle distanco is Somes Ishiiti: the. grotesque-. Jy-shaped deltas of sands fit-the mouth of tho, Hutt River, and immediately below the broad, fat tjcros of'the Hutt, .Valley,, threaded by the' silver water--ways .of the Hutt and Waiwetii'Rivers. It was.indeed,a pleasant- sight, , and, those who are apt to discount the scenic beautios of Wellington should make a point of-,.viewing*tho' far extending scene from the Wainui : Road. • Arrived at ."Wainui, most of tho party naturally drifted along the-picturesque bush-flanked road to view Morton Dam, that fine bit of engineering work,.which has created a veritable lake in . the . mountains. En • routo .a- number. of . deer ..were :secn; on the opposite ■ hill- . sido, with 'heads, erect and ears for- • ward,'listening intently to the unaccustomed sound, of human,: voices, • but rarely heard in this beautiful ■ sanctu- : #ry. , . At 1, p.m. an excellent lunch (provided by ;Mr.-Roivell, of the Vienna tear rooms).-was: served- in a,large marquee'.. At the conclusion of the luncheon, the Mayor (Mr. J. P, Luke), in;the course • of a speech, referred to the. city's water , supply. He was pleased to. say .that now in a very safe position,' nnd had made provision for years; to come. That had only been made po.s- , Bible by the capacity,' organisation, nnd sense of. responsibility; possessed by Mr. Morton. Mr..'Morton had hot shirked his responsibilities, and had done excellent . work liy. striking out on now. lines. . The Morton Dam was a striking illustration of that, and- synonymous with that'work'he had duplicated the main, linked uj) tW system with smaller service reservoirs on the'high levels,, and finally had ' built the Bell Road reservoir. which held a three days' ' ply, for Wellington,'should ahything go ■ amiss with this mains.' 'Ho extended a warm welcome to 1 all visitors present. l , Mr. D'. M'Laren (ex-Mayor) j 'on behalf of'the visitors,-thanked'the Mayor for his welcome': - ' Referring ', to . the 'beauty of the surrounding "scenery, the speaker said that one. of tho important duties of the council was to preserve .. the sccneir about Wellington;- lii tho past tho City Fathers had allowed tho , hills to be .denuded of' their magnificent cloak of hative biish, : : which must be regarded 'with regret for all time. (Applause.) ' '■' Mr. John Smith -said ho was the oldest councillor who had been •• connected with the-waterworks scheme originally, and citizens, must..,give, those who-set-tled the matter .credit for, looking further ahead than most "of them, - for probably nowhere'else could they have got water of'the qualitv .and in the - quantity i | npre,Sssfr (^n.; i of securing, that ai;ea of,land beyond tlife » , hills to-tjie;eastward, Iwhenitlie j necessity., arose for;-, a larger-.supply,;.iho y hill could; bo- b0m1,.. nnd -'in -auxiliary: -] supply-obtained■from the OtongoVongo ' Stream. (Applause.) .. • i . There were several other-speeches, all 111 felicitous ; v«iiv; as befitted the occasioii. ;,;, -Afternqon teafollowed 'later, after which the party/returned toi town, quite, satisfied thai the waterworks '>'inspectmi'i" .forms-a;most.-delightful oxcuse for a picnic. ... ~