OUR WATER SUPPLY.

Evening Star, Issue 4203, 16 August 1876, Page 4

OUR WATER SUPPLY.

Te the Editor. Sir,-— ln your issue of the 24th ult. I noticed a leader on increased supply of water for the City, and making reference to Major Gordon's report. Now, our water supply is " » matter of great importance to the public, and, as such, must bo dealt with by our City Council at once. As one interested in the Leith, it affords J too pleasure to observe that you advocate Major Gordon's recommendation to utilise upper stream of the Waita’i, and I also - notice that the City Council is taking action “Mi direction, I am of opinion that with

care the Waitati will afford a sufficiently 'itlcft’Ssed Supplier-the Oity'for'possibiy ;he next ten years; while, ;as regards the higher-levels, the-suburbs, and the adjacent-, municipalities, I would leave them to look out for themselves, as at present they do not seem to wish for a supply. Of course lam not blind to the fact that, if an abundant supply of water be required to serve the City for all time, the Leith is the proper source ; but I agree with you, Major Gordon, and the Water Supply Committee, that fur the present the Waitati will be sufficient for the requirements of the City, if care only be taken that the water be not wasted. If, iu eight or ten years’ hence it may be found necessary to utilise the Leith, it can then be done. True, the compensation will have to be considerably more then than now, but, against this, the City will be more wealthy, and so better able to pay ; besides, the higher levels, suburbs, and outside municipalities will, no doubt, then be glad to get water at almost any cost, rather than be longer without it, and so, of course, will

have to contribute towards the expense. The riparian proprietors on the Leith have now been kept in suspense by the City Council for a long time, and I feel sure that

I express the feelings of several of them when I state that they do not wish topart with their water rights on the river. These rights they are quite content to retain, and all they wish for is an end to the present state of suspense, so that they may proceed

with such alterations and , improvements as they have in contemplation. They will be glad when they see that the Council has finally decided upon the Waitati scheme. —I am, &c., A Riparian Proprietor Dunedin, August 14.