SCHOOL WATER RATE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20915, 15 October 1942, Page 4

SCHOOL WATER RATE

COMMITTEES OBJECT A report is to be secured from the architect of the Hawke’s Bay Education Board, Mr. L. B. Fleming, on the charge made for water by the Gisborne Borough Council on schools of the borough, following representations made by representatives of the schools to the board meeting held in Gisborne last night. j Messrs W. R. Oxenham and F. T. Robinson represented the schools, and Mr. Oxenham said that prior to the building of the Intermediate School, the primary schools in the borough had not been charged a water rate, but since then the council had agreed to allow the schools 200 gallons per pupil per quarter free, and all water above that must, be paid for. The committees maintained that the rale was an imposition. Mr. F. T. Robinson said that since the water rale had been imposed the Gisborne School consumption had almost doubled. The chairman, Mr. G. A. Maddison, said that the 200 gallons per quarter per child would equal four gallons per school day . per child and should be sufficient.

Mr. Oxenham said that the ■ first assessment made on the Kaiti School was based on the reading of a meter feeding a horse trough in deLautour road, nearly half a mile from the school. A meter was later installed at the school, but he questioned the readings. Ml'. Oxenham added that if the children were at home they would be using the water which they used at school. Messrs. J. O. Musgrave and r. A. Coleman said that residents in Mangapapa and Kaiti. who were not reticulated, apart from the schools, drew (heir water from the schools in dry weather. The chairman: You cannot expect the schools to pav for the water consumed by the local residents The matter was referred to the architect for a report.