LEVIN WATER SUPPLY.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 26 May 1910, Page 2

LEVIN WATER SUPPLY.

II $ IMPORTANT DISCUSSION AT il the JJOIIOUGH COUNCIL. (I PROPOSAL TO SUPPLY FOXTON f'}y\ Q y()r of (Mr 13 R 1 : sffij ■; !vit" i,. f w zl : ,? ml . n.Hi S( ,„; c'erkV •)ilri' ai (town !j inter) 111,10 (tho (>I,I K'TJi.o in opening tho wo _ <'OOcliiirr.s said t!i,at thev had nmfc !f r ° nsi,,( ;', t]le mn of siipplviniT on,!' Z'!l' a f S " pp,y fm,n ' I ' ]| « '» ■£- if ,vo ' rks - JJ « M ik,ib think it necessary t:> go into tlm |s quest ion of an agreement Hint eve--11 1 [ , ' Bn ' fMl.lv two points r vhieh I' ox ton wanted to know, and ]■ ' ioy wero these: Could Levin snppj.V them. and if .SO, At what price? „ The matter, continued lii.s Worship was out! of 11 io greatest importance' k wcanso lit must spread over a nimiii I,pl ' ,>f At any rate at least y over 21 years. The Council had «V <<!wnys ninde a certain provision in its municipal works for tlm future instead of for a year or two, and in this innttor It hey had to consider ' (1 the quest inn of revenue a,nd try to o obtain es mueli as possiMo from'outside .sources. Tliis would mako it easier on tlm 'ratepayers, and if tliev .supplied Fox,ton with'wafor it 0 would not interfcro with the rights - of other people. He could not seo why they should not utilise tlve ( ] water in the case, of a. town liko Foxton. For_ (lie purposes of Fox- (, tn,n and Levin they only touched ,j four per emit o the water of the Oban. A report had been made n to the Government on 'the water 7 supply of ihe Ohau in 190 ft, and. the result was that Mr Holmes, tlm e"ginoor-in-chief to the Government, '' .'irhniittml a repent to the 'Minister ' ef Public Works, in which he as- ' surod the Minister that the water " used in Levin would, mako no difTer(Tee in the matter of irrigation. The report went on to say that if irrigation took place there was jj nmule water for all time. They had in tho pipes a capacity of ear- \ rvmg ever 000.000.000 galions an":m11". Provided the population of '! 1 .win should grow 1o 500(1. the liiortb ' 11vev would he. using would amount I i 200,000 callous per day. Foxton l ' v-fjuld have to supply a 9 inch pipe. The effect upon tho pressure would not he very much, and for somo • time Foxton would not he able to - take the water in large quantities. " Very little alterations to rtlie system " would have to he made. The present settling tanks would last both • towns for four years. One filing lie wanted them to consider in tho • r 'port of Mr Olimio on the oues- : tion. .and that was that the interest upon the lion:.' Works shouljd he "harped upon hoih boroughs. He v.-as dead a gainst that, because he thought ,fha4 r.erin should have •"•rnplete control over its own head- , -v'vks. Tie moved: — "That this '"V.nneil. having had .satisfactory evi- ' >"(•(> placed before it in regard to ! ht' water .supply of the Oliau, is "e.v.' prcipnred to enter into nesoii- ! "'ions with the Foxte,n Borough ''•inncil to =npply the borougji of : I'oxton with water from the Levin. Mi'iins." (V. Cameron formally seconded ' .he motion. ! Mr Olimio, .answering C. Hudson, \-pre.s<ed the ooinio.n that tile Ohnu vas a,hie to supply without any difficulty whatever, the combined needs f Foxton >and Levin, so that ".Mpplying Foxton with water would nake no a)ipreciable effect wliatever "ii the resources of the Ohau. If ihe Council could sell water and "'.it revenue from other people it would be a. very goixl thing for the public of Levin. Cr. Palmer thought it would he , very good thing for Levin, and a good thing for'Foxton. too, if they finhl Ins sooolied with Levin's water. At the same time tlicy liaid , ; o consult their own interests hefore (hey negotiated with any other body. Cr. France had much pleasure in supporting the motion, berauso Levin would have an .ample supply of water, >and. the proposal would lie a. good thing for the people of Levin. Cr. Han nan. in view of the satisfactory report of the engineer, snpoorted (he motion. To give effect to the proposal would be a very food, tiling, not only to Foxton, hut to Levin. (Applause.) Tt would, ho b"lie.ved. he the means of reducing the rates in Levin very considerably When it came to a question of detail 'and fixing the rates of chfirge, h" would submit (hat the matter dealt with in t coniinviii.tee. With. Unit reservation he heartily supp?' r ted the motion. Cr. Hudson told the Council that the scheme, after the statonioiiils of I lie engiiK'-er, had his cordial supnr,i't. Tho proposal was mil excelh nt one jirovided tho details could be worked out to the satisfact ion of the borough, .and provided it could be shown that Levin could, supply ■he water. It, was very imnorta.nt that the rates of Levin should bo reduced, and he was saitixfiwl, a,lter 1 he statements of the engineer, that the. proposal was si sound one. Or. Lancaster, having regard to the evidence of the engineer, thought the Conned could not do better than entertain the proposal, especially as it would materially help them to _ solve (he burden of the r-'ie.s. If Levin could .sell its water, ■fid bring in a revenue he did not Miink one ratepayer would object to :!'. (Applause.) 'I he Mayor said that he was plras■■d that the Council was so u,numinous on (he question. 'Hie matter wis of very great importance, but • till he (bought they had details in front of them that showed they had Milhing to fear about the water supply. Me thought the Council ought ':> be c( ngratarilted upon the niatVr, because if the proposals wero adopted it would he a. source of revenue, and the Council had. dieted wisely in making provision for it. X:> far as the financing of the tanks "•'as c'lict i'luxl, the M-ayor assured In. Council that there was no quesiion for worry. The money re--eived from Foxton could go towards 'he reduction of the rates and :i inking fund for the provision of ihe tanks. It was not a question ef one borough supplying another wi'h water, because, as a matter of fact. lie had a letter from Duinedin, whicli intiniated that the local authority there was suplpying three other places, and was ontoring into 1 negotiations with, another borough in the siiiie maitter. There was nothing to fear, and he was glatl that the Press was present so that it could show the people that the Council was completely justified in the course it was pursuing. Jn conclusion, the Mayor said that il Foxton got the water, it would be very fortunate in having such a, healthy and pure supply. (Applause.). Mr Climie had visited tho va-rio-us districts of No.w Zealand, and he was prepared to say that there was not a hatter supply in the dominion. The motion was then unanimously agreed to, and tho Council went into committee on the question of charges.