The Globe. THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1096, 3 January 1878, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 1878.

Continuing ouv remarks upon the subject of the water supply, it may be noted that the City Council have discussed the matter, and have decided in favour of inviting competitive designs. The other point is that they have accepted the recommendation of the preliminary committee, and made the proposed scheme to combine lire prevention and domestic purposes. As regards the calling for competitive designs, that would have been a very wise course had not Mr. Clark, a special authority on this matter, been visiting Christchurch. This gentleman has had large experience in the matter of water supply, and has already advised the authorities of several Australian towns thereon. It seems, therefore, that it would have been very much the simpler and most direct mode to have laid the matter before Mr. Clark, and obtained a report from him. As it now stands he is asked only to report upon the schemes, all of which may be unsuitable. As to the main question, Mr. Clark is not asked, and thus it seems to us a great waste of time occurs. It would be very much better to go direct to Mr. Clark and ask him for a general report upon the whole scheme. It may cost a good deal of money, but his advice would very likely save us expending money fruitlessly, and thus it would prove to be true economy after all. With such an authority as Mr. Clark at our disposal the recourse to amateur talent so warmly recommended by some of the councillors appears to us to be merely waste of time. Wo do not for one moment wish to disparage the latent engineering talent that may exist amongst us. But when we have here a gentleman of world-wide reputation in the particular branch of science upon which we require advice, it seems strange that we should turn our back on it and prefer to invite designs from local and colonial engineers. One point that has been urged in favour of this course is the possession by the various competitors of that local knowledge which Mr. Clark cannot be expected to have. This advantage, if it be so, is only apparent, and not real. Local knowledge is all very well in its way, but it is not absolutely and entirely the one essential. If the City Council were prepared to lay before Mr. Clark the levels and contour maps of the district, as will be done by the Drainage Board., he would be able to get as sufficiently accurate an idea of the natural formation, for his purpose, as that possessed by a local man. For these reasons we regret that the Council should have come to the conclusion on this subject they have done. It would have been better —and we believe cheaper in the end —to have gone at once to Mr. Clark, and got from him a report upon the whole scheme. It may happen that of the competitive scenes submitted none will meet with approval. W”e shall then find ourselves in this predicament, that we have wasted valuable time, and got nothing for it. Besides there is another point which ih.e jnembers of the City Council seem to have forgotten. They have made Mr. Clark the referee of the plans sent in for the premium. Now Mr, Clark’s stay in New Zealand will be but limited — : a month at the outside —and he then punposes returning to England, How do the Council propose to get Ins report upon the schemes ? If wo wish to get Ihehest available local and colonial talent te .compete (fp must give at least a "H'iiV aotieo. ,It require to be ln( te , papo,r« and notified in ( tp jiaye .the how can we so arrange “ ' plans sent in before Mr , V V. I parture ? If wo have to request him - to remain specially for this purpose, which seems extremely probable, then we had far better go at once to him and say give us a scheme for water supply. The expense of procuring a report direct would, we believe, ho less than the plan now proposed, and we feel sure that wo should get far more for our money, Wo are net ware whether the deeisiou of the

Council is final. According - to mo terms of the resolution passed at the banquet on Anniversary Day. the committee then appointed were to report to a public mooting. This lias not yet been done, but wo presume will bo so at an early ditto. If the decision arrived at by the City Council comes up for discussion, we hope that, considering all the circumstances. they will be recommended to reconsider it and get a report on the whole subject from Mr. Clark direct.