ONSLOW MAYORALTY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3056, 17 April 1917, Page 6

ONSLOW MAYORALTY

MR. CRUMP ADDRESSES ELECTORS WATER SUPPLY PROBLEM. Mr. C. C. Crump, who is seeking re-election as Mayor of the Borough of Onslow, addressed a meeting of electors last evening in the Methodist Schoolroom, Ngaio. Mr. G. AV. Darvell. was in the ohair. ■ . ■ Mr. Crump gave a brief review of the present position of borough affairs, 'lhe capital value of the proporty in the borougji, he said, now v totals £523,324, and the unimproved value was £258,166. Tho debt was not more than £12,000. The income of the borough from all sources was now a little over £4000.

The administration cost was 121 per ceut. The Hospital aud Charitable Aid Board and the maintenance of the Hutt Road were together costing the borough about £800 a year. Referring to the work of the council during the past year, ho stated that economy had been practised wherever possible, Mr. Crump then dealt with the cr.tchment area question. He read extracts from Mr. Fulton's feport on the matter, and stated that the sehemo had been very much opposed % some of the members of the council returned at last election. Continuing, he said; "They tried their best and miiat drastic methods to kill the sehemo. lut their efforts resulted in failure. If they could have shown thax the sdifme was not an efficient one, or that the engineer did not know nujtbinj itout it, or that he had made a mistake m this case, nobody ivpuld have bnni better pleased than those councillors and myself who had believed in it. They advanced nothing to shake our ftffth, nor did they attempt to End a better scheme. They were too eager to knock it on the head; they knew more about the water scheme than the four engineers who reported on it,, and the three councils that endorsed it. Mr. Fulton is no novice as an engineer. Ho has had charge of other water schemes, far greater undertakings than anj'thing that the Onslow Borough requires."

Ho pointed out that, whatever scheme was adopted, the reticulation, which was the most costly part. - would he the same in either case. The catchment area of the borough ,was 145 acres, and every inch of rainfall on that area would mean 3.289,687 gallons, from which two-fifths must be deducted for evaporation, which would leave 1,973,812 gallons. Two thousand people using twenty-five gallons-each per day'would consume 18.250,000 Rallons. Ten inches of rainfall on the catchment area would give 19,738,120 gallons—more than enough to serve the borough's present population. He quoted Secures of the water-consumpr tion in the suburbs of the city (such as, Brooklyn. Kelhu'rn, Northland, Roseneath, Wadestown, and Melrose) to show that the estimate of twenty-five gallons per head was well within the estimate. Some residents objected to the scheme, because it would mean an increase in the rates, and others because they had jrot pipes in (the catchment stream.' The majority, of these, people thought they were all right, and had no regard for the welfare of the borough. . Mr. Crump read letters from Wellington land aprents pointing out that the ahsence of water and sanitation was a drawback to the borough,, and effected the salp of property in the district. "Whv," he asked, "should we deny ourselves to-day the ordinary conveniences in order to. enrich posterity?" . ' , Mr. Crump said that as Mayor of the borough he was very irateinl to the residents for their ready response whenever called upon for patriotic' ser'The single men of the district were among the first to volunteer, .-i.d the maioritv left for the front with the earlier Reinforcoments.

He had not intended to seek re-elec-tion, but a very large deputation had waited-on him about a month ago and asked him to reconsider the. matter. He could not refuse to accede to iheir request, but lie made one condition, and that was that the deputation should secure as candidates for _ the council Rood, men to support him in the water scheme.' Tt rested with the electors whether the nej;t council would be in favour of the water scheme or tot. He advised them to take an interestin the affairs of the borough, after all, was their own estate, .and worth over half a million sterling

Mr. Crump had ,a very good hearing from the small number present. At the close of the speech he answered a nuihher of questions. ONSLOW'S WATER SUPPLY OPPONENTS OP THE CATCHMENT SCHEME. .. ; There was a well-attended .meeting of electors at Khandallah last evening, when the three councillors of the Onslow Borough' Council who are opposed to the catchment water scheme stated their views. . Mr. J. presided,; and stated that an apprehension existed as to his position in the matter. It had been stated that he financed the opponents of the catchment scheme , ; that he prepared bullets for them to fire, -and that ho was opposed to any waterficheuie. These statements "were not true. Councillors Budd, Appleton; and Dale did their own financing, were quite capable of preparing their own bullets and fighting their own cases. Hβ supported them as an ordinary supporter, because he "considered the catchment scheme unsound and hecause amalgamation was the ultimate destiny of. Onslow. In opening, Councillor W. Appleton pointed out that' those in favour of the catchment scheme had had ten years in which to 'bring down, a water, supply. There had been so much uncertainty in regard to the . supply of water, and likely claims for compensation were so heavy that on two occasions when polls had been taken.the electors had rejected the proposal Tho speaker conteiided that during the past two or three seasons the supply had been less than ever, and it was useless trying to. get water from. catehment. The purchase was a had one and was of no use. It had thrown good money after bad. Councillor Appleton dealt with Mr. J. E. Fulton's report, and showed that only constructive works had been put in. In several material points, he alleged, the report was incorrect and had subsequently 'been amended: The report, .'contended the speaker, was the worst evidence supporters of the scheme could produce. Councillor A. E. Budd pointed ' out that although Mr. Fulton's report provided only 25 gallons per head per day for Onslow, he had in a report Eastbourne Council allowed 40 gallons. The quantity of water used in nineteen New Zealand towns was over 40 gallons per head per day. Lower Hutt used 94 gallons, according to the Mayor of that borough, of which fifty gallons were for domestic purposes. Surely, contended Councillor Budd, it -was only reasonable to suppose that Onslow would require a similar amount. , The speaker elaborated an alternative proposal which involved amalgamation with Wellington. He showed' that this could be done at a lesser cost than the proposed catchment scheme with the advantage of a certain suppjy and without expensive litigation. As to when the alternative should be introduced, Councillor Budd, speaking on. behalf of his colleagues and himself, stated that as soon as things were normaT they, could go on with the proposal, birt they did not think this _an opportune time to go in for extensive work.

Councillor J. M. Dale, in dealing with the history of the catchment area, and the legal aspect, said that even before Tfre area was bougKt, the council ha'a Ecen warned concerning claims as to compensations by riparian owners. It would he impossible to escape paying compensation if certain rights were interfered with. This was borne out by thn legal opinion obtained by tho council. Replying to a question,. Councillor 'Dale stated that he preferred to tell the ratepayers the truth about tho compensation rather than go on with the scheme, and conceal the true facts. To another questioner the speaker stated, on the authority of Mr. Martin, that the council would be s.til! liable for compensation even if it were shown that certain holders of present rights could get enough water from the stream below the catchment area. In answer to a third Question,

it was staled that it'-was useless «S take the average rainfall. It was ne* cessary to have the scheme droughtproof, and all recognised authorities took tho lowest rainfall. IN OTHER CENTRES ' f .AUCKLAND MAYORALTY.^ MR. J. H. GUNSON RE-ELECTED.-By Telegraph—Press' Aesooiatloir. Auckland, April Iff. Mr. J. H. Gunson has been returns* unopposed as Mayor of Auckland city;CHRISTCHURCH NOMINATIONS.. By Telegraph.—Press Association.. Chrlstohurch, April 16. Mr. H. Holland (sittiug M.-.yjr) and. Mr. James M'Combs, M.P. (Labour) have been nominated for the Mayoralty. For the sixteen seats on the City, Council there are thirty nominations, including one lady. Mr.. J. Broirr. ban been re-elected Mayor of Riccarton. DTJNEDIN MAYORALTY. • . By Telegraph.—Press Association. Dunedin, April 17. Mr. J. J. Clark, the retiring Mayoiy and Mr. C. R. Green have been nominafetT for the city Mayoralty. Foe councillors there are twenty-eight nomi* wiations for eighteen seats. ■ POSITION IN NaPIEK. x By Telegraph-Special Correspondent. Napier, April 16. No'fewer than twenty-one candidates have been nominated for the NapierBorough- Council election, with eleven seats to fill. In addition there are two t candidates for the Mayoralty, namely, Mr. J" V. Brown, M.P., the present Mayor, and Mr. Henry Hill, tor of Schools. ■ - NO CONTEST AT THAMES. By Telegraph.—Press Association.. Thames, April 16. The-Msvor, Mr. H. Low, and Coun--' cillors S. Bjisor, W. H..Lucas,- George. Cribb, George Cullen, A. S. Ensoty, George AVaroe, J. Coakley, J. Hoskings, and John Rowe have,been ..re- •.' elected without opposition.. .For the Hospital Board, Messrs. V. J. M Cormick and J. Hoskings, and for the Harbour Board Messrs. TV.-Scott and George Warne, were re-elected witnouti opposition. "-.■-... MAYOR OF MASTERTON ELECTKD.. By Telegraph-Special CorrespondentMasterton, April 16. Mr. James M. Coradinc has been re» elected Mayor of Miisterton without opposition. Fourteen- nominations have been received for-nine vacancies on the Borough Council. Messrs. i*. G. Eaton and J. C. Ewington were reelected unopposed as representatives; ofi ■ the Masterton Borough on the v »airarapa Hospital and Charitable- A«* Board. . . .... PALMERSTON MAYORALTY.By Telegraph.—Press Association. Palmerston North, April 16. Mr. J. A. Nash has been returned unopposed as :Mayor of Palmerstonl North. . ■ ~-■■■. TIMARU MUNICIPALITY. .", "• BY Telegraph-Press Association. Timarui April 16. Messrs. J. E. Hurley, J. Maling, an 3 William Angland have been nominated for Mayor. Twenty-two candidates. , have been nominated for the. council -

Messrs. Wrignt, Frost, Norwood* Bennett, and Shorland, of the Greateit Wcuington Municipal Electors Association, addressed electors at the KiM birnie Post Ofs.ce and the Lyall Baj] Schoolroom last evening. _ _ Members of the Greater Wellington. Citizens' ticket will address meetuigs at Boyd's Store*-HataJiai, at 7.301 o'clock, and at Wellington Road, Jillbirnie, at 8 o'clock to-night: