DOUBLING THE WATER SUPPLY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2853, 18 August 1916, Page 6

DOUBLING THE WATER SUPPLY

ORONGORONGO TUNNEL TO BE PUSHED ON WITH. That the Government has agreed to land over to the Wellington City Corjoration about "11,500 acres of Crown ands in the Orongorongo • watershed or the purpose of the iity's sources. of water supply is a natter of the utmost importance to 2ie community. Beforo the title is landed over to the city a survey has ;o b'e made, but that is only a {ormaltyJ . Referring to-the subject- yosterlay, the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) said ;hat after the experience last summer ih'ere would be no doubt in anyone's nind that the work of tapping,the new supply would have to bo accelerated ihi's year.. It was 'originally intended ihat the work of boring a tunnel ;lirough the hill between/the_ Orongo•ongo and-Wainui Valleys might be lone little, by little ' each year, , but ifter the shortage of last summer, it rfs ■ his opinion that the council would ir-*e to interest itself in-.the project it "mce, and see that the work was Mined out with dispatph until it was :ompleted. ' It was his intention to, jring the matter before the Financo jommiiteo at its next meeting. "It was formerly my opinion," said Mr. LuKe, "that this work could bo lone bit by bit, so as to spread the iost over several'years, but the dry spell of last year altered my opinion, ind, I think, changed the opinion of ijfe public, and the sooner we push on vith it the better." .