The Globe. SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 1879.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1540, 25 January 1879, Page 2

The Globe. SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 1879.

Despite the fact of a committee continuously sitting on tho subject, wo appear now to bo as far off obtaining a scheme of a water supply as ever. Ono project after another engages tho attention of tho committee, but plan gives place to plan, until the public, and apparently tho members of tho committee themselves, bocome perfectly bowilderod. It is strange that the committee should find such difficulty in making up their minds. There is abundanco of water, easily accessible, within a short distance of tho city. Christchurch is far better off than many other cities in this rospect, and yet wo have been over a year without even the settlement of preliminary dotails being arrived at. A stranger might indeed come to tho conclusion that great engineering difficulties lie in the way. But nothing of tho kind exists, but simply from the fact that our City Council has taken to doing this business in a circumlocutory kind of way, the protection of tho city from fire is put off from year to year. We do not so much want a domestic supply—that can wait for a time, as the artesian wells, with care and economy, will last us for some time to come —but a supply for firo prevention is absolutely necessary. As we have often pointed out, there aro now growing up in the oast and south-east of Christchurch, large suburbs, which aro practically without any means of lire prevention whatsoever. Were a fire to broak out in these closely built localities, should cirumstances happen to be adverse, no efforts on the part of tho brigade could arrest a serious conflagration, because they would bo deprived of their great weapon—water. At present the only supply available for tho Brigade in these districts is that obtaiuod from tho artesian wells, which is of courso totally inadequate for tho purpose. But this is not all. Tho dilly-dallying which has taken place has had the effect of putting a stop to efforts which wore being made to temporarily provide for a supply of water for fire prevention to those parts of tho city which aro at prosont minus that requisite. Some time back a movement was on foot for erecting a firo tank on the east bolt, which would have given a fair amount of water to tho localities further south and oast. The residents subscribed liberally, and, no doubt, tho work would have been put in hand but for this water supply scheme This scheme was,as is usual in Canterbury, takon up with Buch enthusiasm -a:; enthusiasm which, however, cooled down very rapidly, and of which now there is hardly

a vestige left —that all question? of: tank: ' ic, had to give way before tho glories of thcj«e new ideas. Consequently, W£ now ftnd ourselves without either a temporary or permanent supply. Wo hope that the committee will consider earnestly the great importance of proceeding to action without delay, and that they will abandon ;dl discussion of theories. Surely & scheme which would suit our requirements might ho obtained by offering to Iho engineers of Australia an'dNewZealanclaliberalbonus for tho best set of plans. The plans received in answer might bo referred to a Board of Engineers, who would decide on their relative merits. At any rate this would bring matters into a practical form. At present it seems that tho only result obtained has been an almost interminable number of committee meetings and the discussion of innumerable ideas. resulting in—nothing. We have waited quite long enough for tho outcome of this matter, and unless somothing tangible conies before us soon it will bo for the citizens to decide whether somo other means cannot bo ndoptod to procure what is wanted.

After months of inconvenience and danger to pedestrians, the City Council liavo at last decided to improvo tho Colombo street bridge. On the matter of judges it may be noticed that tho Council are peculiar, inasmuch as our principal thoroughfares leading over the river do so over bridges of very small dimensions, whilst for the streets of lesser importance there are wide and massive structures provided. With regard to tho Colombo street bridge, it is now proposed to put galleries for foot passengers on either side, leaving tho whole width of tho bridge for vehicles, This will certainly bo an improvomont, but wo would desire to point out that it will only answer as a temporary expedient. Tho traffic along Colombo street is now very great and an entirely now bridge must shortly be a necessity. Would it not therefore bo as well for tho Council to face this fact, and, instead of tinkering with tho present structure, which has all but done its work, to build a now bridge altogether. Tho difference in cost will be more than compensated for by tho result. Tho proposed additions can only be utilised for a short time, and, as wo have already said, a wido and substantial bridge must come, sooner or lator. To make trifling additions is only to throw the ratepayers' money away to very little purpose, because in a very short time, even with the alterations, the present bridge will become practically inadequate for the traffic.