WATER AND DRAINAGE.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1056, 25 November 1903, Page 2

WATER AND DRAINAGE.

.AIR HAY’S ARRIVAL TO-DAY* “ Arriving .Gisborne by Talune, Wednesday,” was the wording of a telegram read at the Borough Council meeting last night from Mr IG Hay. The Mayor said he would go out f:c meet Mr Hay. Air Al. AlcLeod wrote ofiering lo act as guide to Air llay at 20s per day. The .Mayor said that Air AlcLeod, knowing the district so well, would be a good man for the He took it that Air Hay wo.uld give even ] more attention to drainage than to I water. He hoped they would get a full report on that subject. C'r Lysnar said he took it that Air Hay would inspect all the sources mentioned, particularly those inspected by Air Reynolds. Air Aloate had j been over all the ground with Air Reynolds, his services being given by the Department, except lor expenses. In the first instance, he thought they should try and avail themselves of an important Government officer like that, with all the information at hand. Cr Harding : And a professional man, too. Cr Lysnar moved again ask permission to have Air "Aloale’s services, failing that they would employ Air AlcLeod where .necessary. Cr Harding seconded the motion. In reply to Cr Aliller, the Town .Clark said they were to give Alt Hay 100 guineas and all for which he was to report' on water and drainage. Cr Harding said they should let Air Hay have all information:. The Alayor : Yes; all the information in the office. He proposed that all the information they had available should be placed at Air Hay’s disposal. Having paid so much for the reports, they should make what use they could of them. They should give Air Hay all the information and all the assistance they lie would call a meeting of objectors to the recent scheme, and let them give all the information they could, so that they could unitedly set to work to obtain water and drainage for the town. Air Hay had done a lot of 1 ' work in Dunedin, which in some parts was as flat as Gisborne and lower in level. In reply to Cr Johnston, the Alayor said that the Council would 1 be given an opportunity to meet Air Reynolds.- ' Cr Harding seconded the motion. The information had cost a good deal, and all information and assistance should be given to Mr "Hay. He hoped that this would he the last of the reports to he obtained, and that some,.good would come from it. They would not be doing their duty 'it they did not give their decision. Cr Lysnar opposed the motion for a double reason. They should he consistent. They had decided to withhold reports from Mr Reynolds and had done so, and lie had obtained information for a report in which he had used liis own brains. They should give plans and contours to an engineer, hut not details of opinions. The previous reports had been deemed unsatisfactory, and they had asked for a further report. In obtaining opinion of second counsel they would not show the opinion of the first counsel* nor would a ..respectable solicitor ask for it. They were to give 100 guineas and expenses to Air liay, and should get that value in the product oJ[ "his brains, not »Toke his mind with other opinions. His Worship said giving the information would shorten the stay ; they were to pay 100 guinfeas, why should they shorten his stay in such an important matter ? He believed the motion would lie carried, hut it must again cause dissatisfaction in the minus of the ratepayers'. At least 20 respectable ratepayers had spoken to him commending the withholding of oilier engineers’ reports. Such a thing would not tic thought of in his (the legal) profession, and lie ''thought the same principles would apply. Cr Miller : Query ? Cr Lysnar: Cr Millor might query it, but there was too much of this playing shuttlecock and battledore in the Council. Tboy should be consistent, and do tbe same with Air Hay as they had doDe with Mr Reynolds. Tho Alayor said there had been no inconsistency. Air Reynolds had not been asked to report on drainage. Cr Lysnar said he wished his protest recorded against this sort of thing. Cr Morrison : You would object any way. Or Lynar : I object to this shilly-shally-ing of doing oue thing at one meeting and rescinding it at tho next. Cr Kennedy said they had listened patiently to Cr Lysnar’s speech, which had not even the merit of novelty. They had heard it all before. They would be treating Mr Hay as a man of straw if they thought the reports would influence him. Cr Lysnar : Then why givo them to him ? Cr Kennedy : I did not interrupt you. Continuing, Cr Kennedy said they should not give opponents of water and drainage any opportunity to charge them with seeking to influence the engineer. They should let Mr Hay have all the information available, and not just turn him loose on the country to find out everything as to sources, &c. It was easting a slur on Air Hay to suggest that an ongineer of such high repute would not use his own brains and judgment in reporting. Thoy should not have any debate on such a question. Cr Miller could see no harm in giving all information. It would certainly save Mr Hay a lot of trouble. If Mr Hay was the man they understood him to be, the fact of his having tho information would not affect his own judgment. After further remarks tho question was put and carried. Cr Lysnar called for a show of hands, and all voted for the motion excepting Cr Lysnar, who opposed it. The Mayor then Baid he hoped those who had opposed the other scheme would give them the advantage of any suggestion. He invited those gentlemen to arrange for a meeting at which they would 1 confer with Mr Hay, and offer any suggestions. Ho hoped Cr Lynsnar would be 1 able to arrange such a meeting. Cr Lysnar said he would be pleased to , try and have such a meeting if there could 1 be aDy good come from it, but he did not see that thero would be, Air Hay was not coming here to confer with the ratepayers. The Alayor said he would take Air Lysnar’s word for it if he said there was no ] need for such a meeting. Cr JohDston said he would like Air Hay’s opinion asked as to drainage of the surface water in the upper portion of the | town. t

It was decided to add the Willows scheme to those to be reported on. Id course of discussion the Mayor said the Council would be given an opportunity of meeting Mr Hay. Mr Leslie Reynolds wrote as follows : I am in receipt of your favor of the 6th, covering parcel of plans in connection with the proposed water supply, which have duly reached me. lam now waiting for contour plan of reservoir site, and will be pleased to receive same at earliest convenient moment. I was to let you know which waters I wish your Council to have analysed, and it was understood that Mr Moate, of the Survey Department, would upon instructions from your Council, obtain the necessary samples, he knowing the various sources. I should be pleased therefore if your Council would obtain through Mr Moate (1) sample of water from head of Te Arai, where examined by myself; (2) sample from Waipaoa river; (3) spring at Mr Langfords; (4) spring near Maori pah. When the foregoing have been analysed and re-, ported upon with respect to their suit-, ability for domestic purposes, I shall be pleased to receive particulars of report. It was suggested that the samples be Obtained on the day Mr Hay visited the

sources. At the suggestion of Cr Hepburn it was decided to add a source in Te Arai Valley to the list. On the motion of Cr Lysnar, it wa° re- ' '«-«* tho Major, and Crs Harding, solved u- ' -*"<«: be @ opramittee Kennedy, and the mo.. . to meet Mr Say.