MR MERCER AND THE WATER. WORKS PURCHASE.

Evening Star, Issue 3568, 30 July 1874, Page 3

MR MERCER AND THE WATER. WORKS PURCHASE.

To the Editor, good deal has been said recently about the credit due to different parties in bringing about the acknowledged satisfactorv settlement of this vexed question, but there is one person whose share in it has been over looked, and j don t think bis colleagu s in the Municipal Council will' .consider* I am depreciating in any way their valua’ le services, when X say that to our worthy retiring Mayor, Mr Mercer, almost entirely belong the credit of the initiation of the steps which ultimately, through the business ability and taet of o-hers, and especially of Mr Ramsay, resulted in a settlement. Even when things were at their blackest, and almost every member of the Corporation was opposed to the purchase, Mr Mercer was untiring in his efforts to bring about a reconciliation. It was in consequence of his encouragement and promise of a fair hearing, that 1 attended the celebrated meeting in the Masonic Hall, to try and promote a public opinion on the subject by showing the ratepayers that it would pay the City to give the price now agreed upon ; and though the amusing “ crocodile ” episode completely overshadowed this object, sufficient was said to induce others to look into the question, and ultimately satisfy themselves. It was his kind and gentlemanly confidence in my motives, and his purely unselfish exertions for the settlement of the question in the interests alike of the citizens and the shareholders, as well as bis continual consistent opposition to the waste involved in arival scheme of Corporation Waterworks, that induced me to enter upon the calculations which, submitted to him first of all as a private letter, afterwards officially brought by him under the review of the Council, and ultimately published in the ‘Gnar.lian’ newspaper, resulted in tho final bargain so satisfactory to all parties concerned. To members of the Council belongs the credit of elaborating details essential to the final result.; bat 1 am sure they will not grudge my saying that to his Worship, Mr Mercer, belongs the credit of first bunging the opposing forces into amicable relations, and no one who knows bis honest, conciliating public spirit, but will be glad that it has fallen to his lot to obtain for the City the best boon any city can have—a supply of pure water—withwbjeh h'S name will always be associated, both as the purchaser now and as an original promoter and shareholder.—l am, &c,, _ Robert Gillies. Dunedin, July 29.