WATER AND DRAINAGE.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 948, 22 July 1903, Page 2

WATER AND DRAINAGE.

WATER SUPPLY SCHEME SUGGESTED BY MR MATTHEWS. Tire subject of water and drainage came up as usual at the meeting of the Borough Council last night. Air E. G. Matthews wrote as follows : “As the Council’s Engineer lias reported that a good water supply (from Wailiirere can be obtained for a population up to 20,000, but at a cost which is generally considered above what the town can afford, 1 beg to give the following particulars of a possible source of supply, which, if suitable, should be within our means. Like Waihirere it is a catchment and gravitation scheme. The catchment area, as shown on the enclosed plan, consists of sec-tions-Nos. 1,2, 3, and d, Block G, j Whataupoko, containing about 600 'acres (as. against 730 at Waihirere), i and is the source of the creek flowing through Mr Barker’s estate and into the Taruheru river at about where the latter is crossed at the Makauri road. The dam would be only four miles from the Peel street bridge, and though not longer than the dam at Waihirere, the reservoir would have a much greater holding capacity —the head (checked on three occasions), according to a Watkin’s patent aneroid, would be about 200 feet. The pipe line is a good one. The site of the proposed dam is j easily, got at, and .would not necessitate the making of a costly road, j such as will be required at Waihirere There is as much water flowing in this creek as in. the Waihirere creek. Mr Mestayer expresses himself confident that Waihirere, with a catchment of 730 acres, is capable of supplying 20,000 people, in which case • the source suggested above., with its catchment of COO acres should, with a suitable dam, be capable of supplying at least 15,000 persons. This would meet the requirements of the town for many years to come. The great recommendation of this source is the saving on the pipe line, which, according to the rate per mile estimated by Mr Mestayer, should amount to not less than £13,000. This in itself would justify its adoption until such time as the town has outgrown its capacity,- when the rates will be better able than now to hear the heavy burden of the Waihirere scheme. The above information is given in terms of the Council’s application for pos- . sible sources of supply. Before closing, perhaps it is necessary to explain that the figures I quoted from Mr Mestayer’s report at a recent public meeeing only referred to the smallest dam at Waihirere, which Mr Mestayer supplied at the request of the Council, though not recommending it.” The Mayor said he had been over the place before Mr Mestayer came. Anyone who recommended that as a place must jump at Waihirere as still more suitable. The only advantage it had over the ether was that it was nearer. The evidence was that Barker’s would run dry while Waihirere had always been running. I-le. supposed that if this site were chosen, Mr Matthews would want the £SO offered by, the Council, but there was no comparison between this site and Waihirere. If Mr Matthews favored a gravitation scheme, he must surely favor Waihirere in preference to this. > i Cr Kennedy said as for a dam it Was the same, formation as .Waihi- ] rere. The Mayor : But not closed in so .well. ' I Cr Kennedy said he had been spoken to about this, and had promised to go, but having gone to Napier had not been able. He would like to go and see it* Cr Somervell: I would make one to go with you. Cr Morrison said he had been over the ground many times. He would not like to oppose Cr Kennedy’s suggestion, but it seemed to him only weakening their position, as he did not think anyone would favor the source as against Waihirere. It Would be only losing time. They should thank Mr Matthews, and perhaps inform him they had already decided in favor of a source. Cr Whinray said they should exhaust all avenues of information before deciding. The Mayor said the question was whether they, were to go on talking or get to work. The Mayor went on to speak strongly in favor of Waihirere, where he stud there w.as always a supply. Cr Lysnar : A trickle. The Mayor said sometimes there was only a trickle in the Waimata. Unless all the scientists were mistaken, Waihirere was the most satisfactory source.. Cr Whinray said from what was stated at the recent public meeting, there was not the supply at Waihirere that had been stated.The Mayor said it would ‘come from the heavens, and the scientists Would see that it was all held. Howr .ever, he did not intend to go into the subject of the public meeting. He. proposed that Mr Matthews bo thanked, and informed that thp scheme had previously been brought under the notice of the Council. The motion was agreed to. Mr Bell’s legal (Opinion, with the | 'questions, was then dealt with. Cr Kennedy considered it .was one ol the most. interesting reports ever placed before the Council. It was very useful that the recent election had been fought out on the subject of water and drainage. It was well to have _pll information, and before the next poll he thought anyone whe ■objected should formulate their objections and these should be submitted to Mr Mestayer as the legal matters had been submitted to Mr Bell. Then the objections would either be, cleared away, or the contentions upheld. In saying this, he did not depart in any way, from his •belief in Mr Mestayer. ■ Cr Lysnar said Cr Kennedy’s, remarks were refreshing and to him very satisfactory-. Had they been made two years ago money would ■have been saved and everything placed on a more satisfactory footing. They should sink all feeling in the matter, and act for the good of the ratepayers. He was a strong supporter of water and drainage—that was all he was there for—and when it wae obtained he would, as he had said before, leave the Council. What he wanted was good results. They [ should look at the matter broadly and let all valid objections be properly considered. All he wanted Was to get a pound’s worth for a pound, and he had not thought they Would obtain that from Waihirere. He did not intend to question Air Bell’s opinion, but f he wanted it clearly understood that there was no provision in the loan proposals to supply people in the sparsely settled parts. He did not take exception to the opinion so long as they 1 lollowed the facts as placed before 1 him.' ’Also they should not pre- ! elude the ratepayers from being taken into their confidence in the wa; of giving them full details. The) should state What rate of interes they intended to charge the ratepayers, and also what was to b< done with sewage* It was necessary to be honest in the matter ; ii Was not a drainage scheme—it was a sewerage scheme. They should tell the ratepayers exactly what they intended, and what system of drainage or sewage they proposed to adept. Cr Whinray presumed an opportunity j would be given to formulate wbat they considered objections. It seemed to him that the people at the meeting in favor of Waihirere were hoist on their own petard. The speaker was referring to the figures quoted, but was ruled out of order. Cr Kennedy said he intended to propose that a certain time, say a week, be allowed for formulating objections. Cr Whinray said he did not presnme to enter into the legal question, but he claimed some commonßense, and he was j

glad to hear what Cr Kennedy had said. They had been in the minority; the others had had the thick end of the stick, and had laid it on.

The Mayor : You have had a good deal of the say. Cr Whinray said they had been forced into that. What he wanted was a scheme that was not problematic. The scheme had been cracked up in the papers, but the people at the meeting had been confounded with their own figures. Cr Harding : Let u? got the legal opinion out of the way first. Cr Whinray : I will not go into that. Cr Lysnar said that all he had written or said against Mr Mestayer's scheme he had himself sent him, so that he could not be misinformed. The only two points he had taken up was that the scheme was too costly and that the ground would not hold water. Cr Harding said the whole hill could have been bored while they had been talking about the subject. The Mayor denied that there were any slips on the ground, while Cr Lysnar said as emphatically that there were. The Mayor said he took it they were all agreed that the opinion was satisfactory. As to the BUpply it was absurd to start with a scheme intended to last for all eternity ; they must make a beginning, as had been done in other places. They had spent a good deal in seeking to obtain water, and Waihirere had been proved the best obtainable. They must start by serving those within an accessible radius. They should seek to obtain water and drainage, and not have the town termed insanitary by Dr DeLisle. Cr Whinray : That is a libel. The Mayor :It is not; it is true. They should seek to get a water and drainage system, and not have it burked in every way. Eeplying to interruption as to the drainage scheme, the Mayor said that the septio tank system was only a blind ; in a flat town like this they must have pumping. It was costing the Council as much now to clear the grass from the watertables as they could get the paths tarred for if they could get thorn kerbed. He hoped the ratepayers would deterihine to have the best scheme obtainable. Cr Kennedy said he would move that Councillors or others having objections to the scheme be invited to formulate them for submission to Mr Mestayer. Cr Harding thought they should have the course clear, and not have so much delay, such as the special meeting yet to he called. Cr Lysnar urged that the Councillors should meet and deoide as to what system of drainage they intended to adopt. They should submit the matter to the Health Department, also as to the quality of the water when stored up at Waihirere. Cr Whinray iutimated that he would have more to say later on. The Mayor : Then I suppose we can take the legal opinion as satisfactory ? Cr Lasnar said ho did not question the opinion, but he did not want to have it said that he was satisfied with the questions as submitted. On the motion of the Mayor, seconded by Or Harding, it waß resolved that next meeting be a special one to deoide on the form of the advertisemout re the loan. As to the questions, Cr Whinray thought the whole of the matters of doubt should' be investigated. He was as certain as he was of his own existence that the dam at Waihirere would not hold. They should have doubt cleared up on that before they went to the ratepayers. Cr Kennedy suggested that it should be put to Mr Mestayer as a question, asking him if he was prepared to risk his reputation upon it. 1 Cr Whinray said they had been met in a fair way, and they should go further and have the ground tested. It would cost too much to puddle it. The Mayor said he had put tho question to Mr Mestayer, who had said that he did not think there would bo any necessity for puddling the ground.