WATER SUPPLY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2381, 19 November 1881, Page 3

WATER SUPPLY.

A poll of the ratepayers of the city was taken yesterday on the proposal to borrow £20,000 for the purpose of providing a water supply for extinguishing fires and flushing the street drains. The scheme adopted by the City Council has already been published, together with all particulars of cost, &c. A considerable amount of interest was taken in the proceedings, as the numbers polled sufficiently testify. Advocates for and against the proposal were busy all day in the neighborhood of the polling place, urging their respective views, upon intending voters, and the arguments on both sides were well ventilated. The opponents of the scheme appeared to be most active. They engaged a “ sandwiched ” man to parade the streets with a bell, the burden of whose song was “ Down with taxation,” and displayed a conspicuous placard outside the Golden Age Hotel instructing ratepayers the way they should vote. The polling took place in the City Council chamber, and was conducted by Mr O. L. Lee, the returning officer, assisted by two clerks. The arrangements were satisfactory, and such as to ensure the least possible delay to voters. The poll which commenced at nine o’clock, closed at six, but the result was not announced until nearly eight o’clock, when the following figures were posted up outside the office : Against ... ... ... 832 For 463

Majority against ... 369 The proposal was therefore rejected. There were twenty-three informal papers.