HUTT VALLEY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 89, 9 January 1935, Page 2

HUTT VALLEY NEWS

The town clerk of Upper Hutt, Mr. (I. C, Major, advises that to-day is the last discount day for the second instalment of rates in the borough.

Another medical man, Dr. A. B. Sternberg. has commenced practice at Upper Hutt, an announcement to this effect having been made in Tuesday’s “Dominion.” Dr. Sternberg, who arrived in Wellington from England recently, in common with about 500 other medical men, 'found it necessary through legislation enacted not so very long ago to leave Germany and continue bis work in some other country. An interview a reporter had with the doctor, who recounted the experiences of Jewish people in Germany, appeared in “The Dominion” on December 24. SUPPLY OF WATER Mayor 1 of Upper Hutt Discusses Question The Health Depurtment having vetoed the pumping of water from the racecourse wells, the only course open was that-ordered by the district healht officer; absolutely to prohibit the use of garden hose and of water for swimming pools, said the -Mayor of Upper Hutt, Mr. A. J. McCurdy, yesterday. That the supply was ample for ordinary purposes was proved by the fact that since the notices issued in accordance witli the mandate of the district health officer were served upon residents, the pressure and supply had become equal to that of the midwinter waterworks services. A number of matters in connection with water supply inquired into by the mayor, and suggestions made by him, had received the fullest support of the distr.ct health officer, he said. The schemes, which might or might not involve pumping, provided for storage at selected points within the borough to maintain uniform pressure. This was done in Wellington city in connection witli Ilataitai, and other storage supplies at 720 feet above sea level, which were serviced by gravitation during the night-time from Orongorongo, 21j miles distant, 800 feet above sen level. “It is quite on the cards,’ said Mr. McCurdy, "that the Upper Hutt Borough Storage supplies may be similarly maintained by gravitation from the borough reservoir'on the Akatarawa Road, which has a head of somewhat similar height above the storage tank levels to that existing between Orongorongo and Ilataitai. The distance is approximately eight miles in the Upper Hutt case, with mains 12 inches in diameter from the reservoir :.o the original distribution tank (50.0(h) gallons). 200 feet above Upper Hutt, thence by eight-inch service main ending nt Camp' Road, and six-inch main thereafter to the Whiteman Valley Road, This compares with a 21-inch main between the Orongorongo reservoir and the city.” Correspondence on the question would be dealt with at the Upper Hutt Borough Council meeting on Friday night. Exploration Work. Exploration work was being carried out at his direction in the neighbourhood of Dr. Tweed’s, ly the Mnwhniha Kona Stream, Mr. McCurdy stated., Excavation work on the opposite side of the road resulted in water being found at a depth of four feet below the bottom of the old gravel pit. , . • “Thin may turn out to he a tapping ot the wtrenni which supplies the racing club well.” Mr- McCurdy said. “It may

be mentioned that the racing club's supply is found withiu 25 feet of the surface of the well, having a water depth of nearly three feet in February, the driest month of the year.” Twenty-two horse-power turbine pump equipment, pumping 10060 gallons an hour for six hours, lowered the well two inches only. The winter supply in the well had a depth of approximately live feet and a half.

"It was suggested,” said .Mr, McCurdy, "that this water might be pumped into the borough mains at 100 per square inch pressure and thus maintain efficient water supply during the dry season. The proposal was to pump into the main to provide a necessary pressure from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily Owing to obstacles being placed in the way of carrying out the proposal, the only course available will be the prohibition of hosing. "It may be possible should circumstances warrant it to utilise the water discovered at the ballast pit for other than domestic purposes in cases of exceptionally dry season.” Commenting on the action of the Health Department in objecting to the use of the racecourse water owing to its contamination by horses on the surface, Mr. McCurdy remarked that the only communicable diseases from horses to human beings were understood to be tetanus and glanders. Glanders did not exist in New Zealand and the tetanus germ was found anywhere outside of racecourses. “It is difficult to understand how noisome matter deposited on a sun-baked surface can be pumped through 25 feet of solid earth to the well.” he said. "To cap all. the water for the well was not found objectionable when required for the use of the Duke of Gloucester and Hie whole of the patrons of the Royal visit race meeting,” he concluded. NEW MOTOR WORKS «? Progress on Building in Petone i Good progress is being mnde in the construction of the assembly works of Todd Motors, Ltd., in McKenzie Street, Petom'. All the foundation work has now beeu completed, and the reinforcing steel is in position. At the present time, the men are engaged in boxing the walls. They will probably start pouring the concrete in them to-day.

The building, of one floor, is to be 451 feet long and 144 feet wide. One portion will be 23 feet high to allow for an overhead crane, while the remainder will be 13 feet. The work was started on December 19, and is to be completed by February 28. It was pointed out by the foreman yesterday that about 100 men have been employed most of the time. The majority of them previously had been on relief work, but now they were drawing full union rates of pay. All New Zealand timber was going into the building, which would require some 150,000 super feet. Os’ginally it was proposed to use oregon, but it had been found that the New Zealand material was a little cheaper. The gravel all can-.e from the Hutt River, and New Zealand cement was being used. Between two and three hundred cubic yards of concrete had been used on the foundation work; 800 yards would be required for the floor, and between five and six hundred yards for the walls.