AND DRAINAGE.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 65, 20 March 1901, Page 2

AND DRAINAGE.

MR MESTAYER INTERVIEWS THE COUNCIL. CHOICE LIES BETWEEN WAIHIHERE AND MANGAOAEBUIKU. During the meeting of the Borough Council last night, Mr Mestayer was present, and conferred with the Council, in regard to what ho had dono so far towards reporting- on the subject of water and drainage. Mr Mestayer went through tho list of suggested sources for a water-supply. He had viewed Caulton’s croek, whioh ho did not think worth going to, nor Barker’s spring, and ho understood that tho Waikanao did not offer anything like a sufficient supply. He had seen tho shiuglobeds adjacent to the Big River, but he had not seen Makauri creek. Tho Mayor: Nor is it necessary to seo it.

Mr Mestayer went on to say that he had not visited many distant sources suggested, from tho Waikaremoana Lake, 60 miles away, to other places, 80 milos away. “It is,” continued Mr Mestayer, “very certain that thero is an ample supply at tho Mangaoaeruiku stream, whore wo were to-day, 19 miles, tho place to which Mr Lysnar took us. Thero is water enough there to supply Gisborne and tho whole district. Ido not think it wiso to go further away than that. Tho Waihirore is capable of supplying a population of from 12,000 to 18,000, with 50 gallons por day, but I cannot give data without moro accurate levols being taken.” Mr Mestayer wont on to say that ho now wanted the Council to authorise Captain Winter to take levels at points that ho (Mr Mestayer) would indicate, in order that he might bo able to give a positivo opinion as to tho capabilities of Waihirore. “ So far as tho area goes,” he said, “it is rather a disputed point, and a flying survey should be taken to decide that. Tho whole of tho information I want can be supplied within a woolc, but until there is some absolutely certain data to work upon I cannot tell what tho real capacity is.” Ho went on to say that the levels had been taken with tho aucroid, and that there were fluctuations which they did not know whether to attribute to atmospheric conditions or to a riso in the ground. Therefore tho information that had been obtained was only approximate. “With regard to tho pipe line,” continued Mr Mestayer, “ I liavo roughly taken it out, and I consider that a 12-inch pipe lino would bo sufficient to bring the water in from Waihirero, and from tho place shown us by Mr Lysnar a 16-inch pipe line would be required for the same quantity of water to be brought into Gisborne, assuming that tho top falls arc of tho same level, and as far as we can judge thoy aro on practically the samo level. Tho position now is that I cannot give more positivo, information until I have more data, and that I now ask the Council to authorise Captain Winter to obtain for me.” Cr Nolan said tho Council would have no hesitation in authorising that. If the Mayor had authorised Captain Winter to go on without reference to the Council, the Council would have endorsed his action. Ho proposed that tho Council authorise Captain Winter not only to obtain tho data now asked for, but any further information that was required. Cr Jones : I second that. Cr Joyce said he had great pleasuro in supporting the proposition, but added that lie was under tho impression that Captain Whiter had already been engaged to do anything that Mr Mestayer required in the way of. taking levels. Ho (Cr Joyce) had himself suggested that the engineering work should bo deferred until the arrival of Mr Mestayer, and that ho then be provided with a local engineer for the obtaining of levels and other information.

Tho Mayor said that that was the first occasion in which Mr Mestayer had asked : for it, and as there was a Council meeting that night it was as well to have tho matter before them. The place to which thoy had been taken that day no doubt provided the best flow they had yet seen. It was Waihirore multiplied by six. Mr Mestayer: Quite. The Mayor: Question resolves itself into a matter of engineering and finance, It is twice the distance, and the expense will be two or three times more. Cr Jones: It will be moro than that, will it not ? The Mayor said he did not wish to exaggerate. If the Engineer after getting ail information, could satisfy himself that there was a sufficiency for our population for the next twenty years, and that the water would be gravitation supply, that was really what was wanted. If Mr Mestayer was unable to satisfy himself of that in regard to Waihirere, the next best place would be Mangaoaeruiku, provided the engineering- difficulties could be surmounted. • Mr Mestayer: It will cost more for pipes—16in pipes as against 12iu, and double tiie distance. The Mayor: And thero is that very difficult corner to get it from. The watershed has an excellent fall, tho best I have seen about the place. The supply, I have no doubt, is sufficient for 30,000 people. Mr Fairlie, who has been in the habit of going about * there -in all states of the weather and seasons, informed me that there is always a • considerable body of water there.’ If you had not the Waihirere, there would be no question at all as to this one ? Mr Mestayer.: Not the slightest. I would say, “ Go on at once." The Mayor : It is all [Native property, unimproved, in its natural state, and a better place, other things being equal, could not be selected, but distance and expense have to be considered. Mr Mestayer said that it was a beautiful stream, but it would bo a beautiful price. Cr Jones asked whether, in regard to Waihirere, Mr Mestayer had gone into the question of the reservoir—whether one could be safely constructed in that locality. . ,

Mr Mestayer said that one of the objects he had in getting the levels was in regard to the reservoir. The Mayor said the place pointed out by Mr Lysnar was papa country, and that at Waihirere was limestone. The trouble in regard to the former was that the formation gave no assistance towards the making of a dqm. Mr Mestayer said that Mangaoaoruika was not a difficult scheme—he had seen worse. He estimated the cost of pipes at I £4OOO a mile, and that three miles would run at £SOOO.

[. The Mayor: Would the reservoir cost more than at Waibircre? [1 Mr Mestayer: That I cannot say. c The Mayor: You agree that there is 1 nothing there (Mangaoaeruika) to make it [ £ with ? y Mr Mestayer: It must be an earthen , dam. There is no rock, and there docs 3 not seem to be any clay. That means a . very large dam. I do not like that site, I t must confess, for building a dam. At t Waihirere there are two very good sites for a dam; the water is all that could be desired as to quantity and quality. Cr JLepburn said that the present i season was more like winter than summer i for rain, and it Jwas a bad time to make • an examination as to quantity. There were times when the stream would not fill a 4-inch, pipe. Mr Mestayer: Where was it looked at; below the entrance to the bush ? Mr Hepburn indicated the place. Mr Mestayer said there was a very small stream there when ho saw it, and he could understand that at times there wouid be bardly any flow there, but below the falls there was porous ground, and the stream was lost in that. He could understand that in the summer trine there would not be any water at all showing there. He had now no guage to work ' upon, but he had the rain fall records for , the past 23 years, and would work out ; the supply frem that as soon as he knew i the area of the water. j In regard to drainage, Mr Mestayer said i he had not yet been able to do anything , beyond the preliminary work. In regard to sources of water, the Mayor a said that he did not suppose that Mr Mes- r tayer wanted to see any other source. Mr Mestayer: Not unless the'Council wish me to’. .->•I Cr. Johnston asked what about Whare- b kopae. ’ d

Mr Most aver said that there was no use in going further than a stream that would supply 50,000 people. , V In reply to Or Johnston as to whether if the Waihiroro does not prove it could be usod for an extended service, Mr Mestnye.t said he had not gono into that, hut believed that an additional supply could bo provided for. In reply to Cr Joyce, Mr Mestnycr said that the quality of wator at both places was quite satisfactory ; it was practically rainfall, with no danger of pollution. In reply to Cr Jones, Mr Mcstaycr said that lie would forward his report as soon as possiblo, but it would take somo weeks.

As to drainago, Mr Mcstayor said that in due course ho would give liis ideas fully on that subject. Ho would'likely leavo / e m by Thursday’s stoamer. After mutual thanks, Mr Mcstaycr withdrew.

motion of Cr Jones, seconded by tho Mayor, a vote of thanks was tendered to Mi L} snar for the assistance ho had given.