THE DUNEDIN WATERWORKS.

Evening Star, Issue 3492, 2 May 1874, Page 3

THE DUNEDIN WATERWORKS.

To the Editor. Sir, —When Mr Fish styled Mr GilHes the “astute” and “shrewd” Chairman of the W aterworka Company, I thin* he paid him an undeserved compliment. He seems to me a most charming man, but not an ■ “ astute ” one. On the contrary, his naive simplicity of character is most refreshing in this age of effete civilization, tie resembles the “untutored savage,” unable to disguise his emotions or repress his passions. When he is angry or excited he lets everyone see it; and in cases where a man accustomed to the restraints of good society would say that an assertion was “incorrect” or “inexact,” ~Mr Gillies blurts out that “ it is a lie !” I rather admire this sort of character; and the fact that Mr Gillies is so very angry with me pleases me .much. It shows that my speech at the Masonic Hall was a Success. I am not going to jenter into a discussion on microscopy with Mr Gillies. If he wants rto know whether I am a competent observer, I can refer him to scientific journals and transactions in which he. will find a record of some of the work i have done. I have been at microscope work for the last twenty-six years, and Mr Gillies must pardon me if I say that I don’t feel inclined to put myself under his tuition now. Mr Gillies says that I must remember that 1 am not amidst Creoles! Mr Gillies evidently does not understand the meaning of the word “ Creole”; but let that pass. lam not blind to the defects of the “Creoles,” as he calls them; but one thing I must say of them—they were from the highest to the lowest studiously polite and courteous, and they never would have tolerated language or behaviour. like that of Mr Gillies. The Company mean to Sell —of that there is little doubt; and their resistance so far has been like Julia’s. A little still she strove, and much repented; And whispering, “ I will ne’er consent”—consented. “No more,” as the Maoris say, from yours, &c., ' # - R. H. Bakewell, M.D. Dunedin, May 1.

To the Editor. SIR, —In last evening’s Star appears a letter from Mr D. R. hay, suggesting that the Corporation should immediately make a final cvffer of Ll6 per share to the Waterworks Company: Now, sir, 1 think it would be unwise to make any offer whatever to the Company until the fate of the Company’s Bill in the Assembly is decided upon. There cannot be a doubt but what this Bill will be thrown out, for Mr Vogel is too wise a politician to allow a Bill to in the face almost of the approaching elections for the Assembly, which would lead to alienate from himself and the Government of which he is the head, the confidence and support of the electors of Dunedin, the largest and most influential constituency in the Colony. At the same time, the City Council will have to leave no stone unturned to prevent the Bill being passed. It will no doubt cost a large amount of money—something like L6OO —without taking into consideration the coot the Water Company will be put to in attempting to get their Bill passed, and which will ultimately also come out of the peckets of the ratepayers. It is simply bounce in the City Council’s talking about erecting new works in the face of the present monopoly, for the Corporation will have to purchase this monopoly before long whatever the price may be, and the longer the purchase is delayed the larger will be tue price required to be given. Whenever the Company’s Bill is lost, and not until then, the Corporation should set about negotiating for the purchase of the works at a valuation, if all other means fail. A good deal of useless talk has been indulged in, in reference to curtailing the Company’s powers, bub it must not be lost sight of that if anything of this kind is done the Company will be entitled to compensation. Now, I think it would be more preferable to arrange this in a private manner without resorting to such extreme aod moreover, expensive measures. That the directors of the Water Company have acted in an unbusineas-liue manner cannot be denied, bat considering the sort of men they are it is not a matter of astonishment they have acted thus. To these directors alone is owing the fact of the mere sale of the water monopoly, for the works are worthless, seeing that all the shareholders in the company with whom I have come in contact—and many of these are original shartho.ders—are willing to sell out at either Lls or JLI6 per share. 1 intended to have stated something to this effect at the meeting the other evening, but the hour being late I thought I would be consulting the convenience of the meeting by remaining silent; and perha-s it is just as well, seeing that it was called for a specific purpose.—l am, &c., C. R. Chapman. Dunedin, May 1.