BOROUGH ELECTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 875, 27 April 1903, Page 2

BOROUGH ELECTION.

WAIHIRERE WATER SCHEME,

(To the Editor Gisborne Times. Sin, —Upon reading the addresses of some of the candidates for the new Council, particularly when they refer to Mr Mostayor a water and drainage scheme, especially that of one gentleman, who goes so far as to say, “ Waihirere is beyond the limits of reasonable controversy," it might perhaps be thought that such sweeping assertions should bustle these of us who dare to think otherwise into shameful silence. Sir, tbo candidate who makes such ail assertion is cither ignorant of what bo writes oris deliberately trying to mislead tiro ratepayers and throw dust in their eyes on this subject. 1 have said before, and again repeat, that this town will never be supplied with water from Waihirere, that the ratepayers of this town have been misled upon tliut scheme, and that either tbo supporters of that scheme in tho dying Council did uot understand it themselves or wero deliberately misleading tho ratepayers. I prefer to think they were ignorant of the facts, and I more readily believe this for tho reason that whenever

Waihirere came up for discussion in the Council it seemed to huvo a soothing effect upon its supporters there. So much so was tins the case that a short titno back when the Council was being asked to consider certain facts affecting tho sehomo ouo of tho strongest supporters of Waihirero actually went to sleep in his chair atthe Council table. The dream of the Council was disturbed by a series of distinct and loud snores, aud for a time tbo business had to he suspended wliilo tho Waihirere supporter was aroused from his slumbers. Is it to be wondered at under such circumstances that mistukes arc made or tho ratepayers misled When the ratepayers voted this Waihirere water scheme they voted £35,000 at 4 per cent, for tho scheme, which is referred to on the voting paper as follows t (a) A high pressnro water supply from Waihirere conveyed to Borough with 12 inch water main.” Mr Mestuycr, in his re-

port, says tho total cost of a 12 inch supply main aiono from Waihirere to Gisborne is 1124,120, or with tbo main aud the smallest dam to suit that main will bo £36,50U, the reticulation of the Borough will be an extra .£11,470, so tbo Council

have asked the ratepapers to voto £12,970 short of what tho Engineer says tho work will cost. To this shortage must bo added thu cost of the land, for which no provision or allowance has boon mado, aud I ask did the ratepayers when they voted £85,000 for Waihirere, know, according to their Engineer’s figures, that they would be called upon in order to ultimately get tho water to voto another £12,970, and probablo an additional £3OOO for tho land ?

The voting paper goes on to say tho extreme annual charge for interest on tho whole loan would he £3OOO, and that tho works are given as security with the right to strike a spocial rate. Is there any wonder that tho Council bavo not Succeeded in obtaining tho loan when tho borrower is offered a dam and tho mains nearly into tbo town, without any reticulation and no provision mado to pay for tho land? I would like to impress this fact on tho ratepayers also, that when they voted for tho loan of £75,000 tho interest chargo was not to exceed £3000; tho general rates then amounted to about £3300 odd, but since I think raised to about £3500. As it now stands you aro nearly doubling your rates, anu if you add the extra interest of the further £15,970 to comploto the water works and pay for tho loan tho annual interest chargo would bo £3640, or more than doubling tho present general rates. Those facts aro altogether apart from other vital questions, which should, and will ultimately, condemn Waihirere. I say it is idle to say that Waihirere is placed boyond the limits of reasonable controversy, and no impartial mind could say so if tho mattor is gone into in detail ou its merits, for Mr Mostayor upon tho very crux of tho wholo scheme says on page 3 of his report, “ The rock underlying tho surface appears to belong to the limestones, aud so far as could bo ascertained without actually opening up the ground it is freo from faults.” Surely before wo spend over £50,000 on a scheme tho rocks underlying the ground should bo tested. Until this is done and the financial position is cleared up, tho scuciuc is not within tho limit of reasonable possibility. And I again repeat, whether it pleases tho ratepayers to return me to tho Council or not, that Mr Mestayer’s Waihirere scheme cannot and will not ho ultimately carried into effect, and it is only blocking some more economical, reliable, and beneficial water scheme, and in concluding I would like to say that while being strongly opposed to Waihirere I do not bind myself to any particular alternative water scheme, but I admit we must have water. At present I believe that the

Wuimata river is the host for this town. With proper process of filtration and a storage reservoir on the Whutaupoko hill, we can get an unlimited water supply for under 1120,000, with an annual cost of pumping of under £SOO a year. Regarding the quality, I cannot do better than quote the opinion of the District Health Officer, who writes : “ I am of opiuion that if the water of the Waiuiata river woro properly treated by filtration, the quality would leave nothing to be desired.” But should some other source bo found better than Waimata, I would bo ready and willing to support it. AVhat I want to see is that we get the best aqd most valuable supply within our meant, and I look upon a bad scheme as worse than no scheme at all.—l am, etc., W. Douglas Lysnar.