WATER SUPPLY SCHEME

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 44, 10 April 1930, Page 12

WATER SUPPLY SCHEME

PETONE AND EOWER HUTT WITHDRAW.

At Monday's meeting of the City and Suburban Water Board it was made very evident that the major Hutt River water supply scheme has been definitely.shelved for the time being. At the conclusion of a long and somewhat acrimonius debate ,the chairman said that a modified scheme may be evolved which might yet induce even the Hutt and Petone BoroTngh Councils to come in.

In a preliminary statement the chairman (Mr G. A. Troup), in referring to •the report of Mr A. N. Perham, Forestry officer, on the plan for working the boaroi 's area of land at the head of the Hutt Valley said it was "gratifying to hear such hearty commendation from the Minister, who had remarked that Mr Pexham was working on sound lines, which if pursued, would satisfactorily develop the area. The chairman also rehearsed the circumstances of how the board had approached Parliament to allow an extension of its finances from £3000 to £5000 a year, mentioning that as development proceeded it might agree to increase that amount still further.

"You will not increase it without the approval of the local bodies," said Mr D. McKenzie (Mayor of Petone). "We are partners, but only till we get out. We pay our quota and do so until it is wiped out, but we will not stand for increases through buying lands we do not approve of. ,We stipulated that the increase from £3000 to £5000 was to be for twelve months only, and that was to give time to work up a scheme, in which we would participate. But there is not one, and if you b-y more lanfis the contribution will*continue going up; but we are not going to take water iroin you."

The Mayor said the board had agreed to purchase all the land in the watershed. The £3000 was to pay^the interest.

'< Might I point out just what these eoat*ibutions are?" said the chairman. "They are assessed on a population basis. The Wellington City Council pays £11(67, the Upper Hutt Borough £35, the Lower . Hutt Borough £135, the Petone

Bor"ougk~ £116, the Eastbourne Borough £22, and the Hutt County Council £29. Surely if it .were'only as an insurance

for the future it was worth the. money; and I tell you that once you go out it will be mighty difficult to get it again! '

Mr McKenzie: We agreed to the increase, but it was for one year only. It hacu been definitely decided by Petone not to participate, as the scheme offered was not a profitable one, and gave no advantages. We have a good supply from Koro Koro, as well as the artesian supply. Now you propose to buy more land —when there is no one to take the water.

■ The board's estimates provided for an expenditure of £5173. The first item was "tine of £1250 for engineering survey.

Sir Alexander Roberts asked what the item meant and when informed that it was. for oietailed work, planning the head works, pipe lines, etc., he protested that it should come but of capital, not out of revenue.

The Mayor said it Avas preliminary

work.

"Preliminary! 7' said Sir Alexander Roberts. "Why, we have the engineer's, report—it's all there."

The Mayor protested that the work was necessary.

''Why go on with the works, when yon are not going on with the scheme?" asked Sir Alexander Roberts.

"What's the good of going on with it when no one is going to take the water?" interpolated Mr McKenzie.

' c Only Petone and the Hutt are out,'' saifif the Mayor. "We are perfectly with--in our rights and are.acting under a resolution of the board."

Sir Alexander Roberts said that as far as they were concerned all further investigation must stop. "Let those pay who use the water I " he. added.

''' To have the data incomplete and unfinished is wrong, for this scheme is coming one day as sure as I stand here," said the chairman.

"Sucli data will be useless in ten years," retorted Sir Alexander Roberts.

The city engineer "(Mr €L A. Hart) said that his report was based on engineering imagination backed by experience but it would be of little value to work upon unless it were supplemented by a detailed investigation and complete survey. At least they should allow them to locate the pipe lines.

"How long would that takef " asked Sir Alexander Roberts.

"About three months," replied the

engineer.

The estimates were then approved.

Formal letters .from the town clerks of Lowei; Hutt and Petone boroughs notified the board of their withdrawal from the water scheme!

"This/ said the chairman, "puts a different complexion on the s6heme in regard to the future. In addition to the

secession of Hutt and Petone the Wei • lington City Council will have to hav3 a detailed investigation to see if i" is possible to isv'olve a scheme that will tide the city over a term of years aui help Eastbourne at the same time." Hf> had expected to have a report rea'Ty on this matter nad expected it next week, when possibly a special meeting might be "called to discuss the matter.

"I dio not think the Wellington City Council can go into a scheme costing half a million of money on its own," said Mr Troup, * ' which would practically be the position now whatever is done. Perhaps a scheme of modified proposals can be evolved. I hope the other bodies will still come in, possibly even Petone and the Hutt, though I know that in production cost no gravitation system can compare with artesian wateT."

v Mr H. M. Jones, Mayor of Eastbourne said, in referring to the Mayor's promise of a water scheme, that he hoped the chairman would make it urgent, as they were in a bad way. He wantecu it speeded «PThe chairman promised to accelerate the matter. Mr P. Robertson (Upper Hutt Borough) regretted the withdrawal of the two big boroughs? . The letters from the town clerks were received. .