PETONE'S WATER

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2874, 12 September 1916, Page 7

PETONE'S WATER

POLLUTION FEARED

CATCHMENT AREA SOLD FOR FARMINGCOUNCIL AND THE STATE

Questions concerning the water supply of Petone were touched on at last evening's meeting of two Petone Borough Council. The Mayor (Mr. J. W.. M'Ewn.n) said that he had addressed the following letter to the Prime Minister:— .."It has-been brought under my notice that tho greater portion—some 800 acres —of the catchment area of tho Korokoro stream, from which tho people of Petone obtain their supply of water for domestic and other purposes, is under offer, if not actually sold, to a Mr. Ward. lam given'to,understand that it is the intention of the purchaser to run sheep on the land, and, in addition, to build a liouso closo to tho mam stream. In tho past wo have had serious trouble in connection with the running of sheep on this_ property. Owing to shortage of feed in the winter months, scores of sheep have diod, and their decomposed carcasses have been, during the heavy falls of rain, carried into tho stream, thu s polluting our ]»ople's supply of water. In order to prevent this occurring, the greator portion of the time of our waterworks' caretaker is tilcen up' with the duty of patrolling this area, eo that pollution of the water may b» minimised as much as possible. If this land is sold, and' fenced, it js reasonable to anticipate that the now owner will strongly object to our caretaker carrying owt Ihis duty, and disposing of the carcasses of any dead . sheep ha may discover. '"';'•

Houss to Drain into Stream. "Then,- as to-, the situation of the proposed house, I understand the position is such that the whole of the.drainage therefrom will find -its way into the stream, seriously polluting samo, and thereby endangering the health of the community. In order to protect the water from pollution, we have found it necessary to proceed in court against the lessees of a portion of this land ntfiv to be acquired 1 by Mr. Ward. ■ Wo were successful in these proceedings, and I now claim that wc have a- right to ask that the Government should not make'this unpleasant duty a necea.sary part of our activity as a local . body, especially as it has always been recognised that catchment areas of water supplies should he vested in tho ; local authorities controlling the supplies. Some years ago this land was offered to the council for the eum of £12,000; or. approximately £12 per acre. The council of the time nould not see its way to pay this largo amount, especially' so in tho fact that it had acquired Native land in tho vicinity at £4 to £5 per acre. It was hold that this Normandalo ;settlement ivas one of the Government's bad barg'Sins,' and the Government should stand the consequences of its actions ■; Now,, sir, I understand that the price agreed upon with Mr. Ward is £5 {V'lacro, although on July 12, 1915'. the" Department wrote offering the land to tho council at air average price of £6 4s. per acre. On receipt of : this intimation of a reduction in the price, the council wrote asking.you to seriously consider, for reasons given, the. onestion of vesting the land in it, so .?ib tho purity of the supply might ho assured. In''reply, on August 2, lttlS, you wrote stating that yoii wero submitting, the matter to your responsible. officers, fo.r a : report,, and,assured the council that the matter would re- . ceive consideration. If we bear in mind the fact that the catchment areas of AVainui and Orongoroii'gb Streams have been rested in the City Council, the, quostidn arises: — , - ■'. "What has Petonc done that the catchment area of its water .supply should he sold .for farming purposes, whilst the City has been tho recipient of the Government's generosity, and why has the 'careful consideration' referred to in ' your letter not .been given, or, if given, why was.it not communicated to the council? .

"It appears-wo liave no other course open but •to emphatically protest (which I do on the council's behalf), and to say further that 'it is our bounden duty to use to the fullest extent the powers, given to boroughs in respect of the preservation of watei supplies. "In conclusion I have to say that I hope it is not too lato for the whole matter to be reviewed, and I feel sure in coming to a decision on tho same you will consider from a health point of, view the interests of a large, and.. ' growing community like Petonc, and' follow the practice laid down in the case of !the City and other council author i- ; tics." . ' . ■ ,' "Little justice from any Government." Councillor A. Anderspn termed tho affair "another of Massoy'a squaro deals"—unfair to Potono and unfair to the man who was taking up the land. It was remarked also that tho only redeeming feature of the whole transaction was that Ward is a returned soldier. • ■ Tho Mayor said that Petone, had got little justice out of any Gov- ; ernment. Ono day, maybe, there would be a Ministry which would treat them ■ fairly. On tho'"Mayor's motion, it was re- ■ solved:— • / "1. That sealed and certified samples of the water of tho Koro Koro Stream /be taken from the point whero it on. , tcrs the council's property up stream .and sent to the Public Health Department for chemical and bacteriological ;•analysis. "2. That the caretaker be instructed to report fortnightly upon the gon- •: oral condition of the stream, based ! upon observation, and, in the event of ' any special happening, it shall bo his •special duty to report the matter at . once lo the borough engineer, who shall take tho steps necessary to deal ;with same. ■ "3. That Mr. "Ward, purchaser and lessee of; tho catchment area, bo tn- ■ formed by registered letter of tho council's intention to enforco all its powers under the "law to prevent tho pollution of tho Kor©Koro Stream and its tributaries, in 'the interests \jf the public health. "4. That the Minister of Lauds be asked •to ' extend tho courtesy of an early reply to tho Mayor's letter of August 23 ; 1916, addressed to the Prime Minister in his capacity of Minister of Lands. " "a. That the council ettit-o its case for legal opinion from Mr. T. F. £fartiu as to tho full extant of its powers in connection with tho borough's water supply."