DAY'S BAY SERVICES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2942, 30 November 1916, Page 7

DAY'S BAY SERVICES

WATER AND DRAINAGE

CITY COUNCIL'S DECISION

At the mooting ol tbo City Council last evening tho Finance Committee reported:. '.'That the necessary legislation bo enacted for tho purpose of enabling this council to carry out tho water and drainage schemes prepared by tho City Engineer, for the Day's liay district, together with such other powers necessary for the maintenance by tho city of tho proposed undertakings." The Mayor, in reply to a question, said that niter .tho .deputation had waited on the Financd Committee, the. committee kid considered tho matter,' and it had decided that it would bo advisable to promote legislation to place Day's Bay in tho samo position; as tha.t_ part of Xarori which is to bo provided with water and drainage. Tho Hutt County Council would supply the finance by way of a rate. The City Engineer was of opinion that tho best scheme was as originally planned, which provided for utilising tho two streams within tho bay, simply by the construction of small weirs, not dams ■as had been'statod. Tho proposed Bill would be on the same lines as tho Karori one, and tlicro had never been any friction with Karori. Tho Mayor Miid that" Mr. Morton had said the idea had been raised of tapping the Wainui main, but ho had pointed out tho difficulty in getting tho pipes. Mr. Barber said that he was glad to learni that the schenio was going to bo financed by the Hutt County Council. They could not undertake the financo of a scheme in another district altogether. Councillor Luckic favoured tho tapping of the Waiiwii main, which would give a hotter pressure and a supply for all time. At the best, on the Mayor's own statement, the scheme of Mr. Morton was only a makeshift. Councillor L. M'lCenzio said that such schemes should be considered very carefully, as tho day was not far distant when Wellington would be called i on to supply all the surrounding boroughs with water. Tho City Engineer said that tho water was the chief consideration. There wa6 no trouble about the drainage. In regard to the water service 95 nor cent, of tho cost was involved in tile reticulation, and that would be tho case no matter where tho water was obtained from. As the water was there (in Day's Bay) there was no reason why it should not be'used. It was not proposed to build dams (as •had been mentioned). There would only bo small weirs, holding enough water to. submcrgo the head of tbo pipes. There was a sufficient summer flow in tho streams mentioned to supply the bay now and for somo time to come. The recommendation was adopted. It should bo mado clear that the Karori scheme referred to (which did not materialise, owing to the loan proposal being defeated at the -poll) proposed that as far as water and drainage were concerned in tho area affected, tho City Council should have'full control, and tho ratepayers therein should become directly responsible to the City Council. So, if the proposal respecting the Day's Bay services is given effect to by legislation' on tho lines suggested, the Hutt County Council would be cut out altogether as far as those services were concerned, and the propertyowners within the special rating area would become directly responsible to the Wellington City Council. Incidentally, Mr. Morton said last evening that an extension'of the Wainui main along the main road was only conceivable if the servioe was to supply a larger area than Day's Bay, but ho had not-been called upon to l report on any 6cheme of the sort. He understood that Eastbourne had a scheme of bringing water through from Gollan's Valley through a tunnel. Even if it wore ever decided to tap. the Wainui main, the reticulatory system of Day's Bay, as now planned, would servo the district just the samo.