The Hutt News THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 1930. BOROUGH WATER SUPPLY.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 4, 19 June 1930, Page 7

The Hutt News THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 1930. BOROUGH WATER SUPPLY.

It is an ascertained and well jproven fact that there-is no question more deeply and materially -affecting the progress and welfare •of .any district than its water .supply, and there is certainly not »one of the many questions that, .come under the consideration of .the .Local Governing Body which rff^lls for so much foresightedness vision. Up to the present v district has been extremely dfortunate in this matter, and the •■artesian supply has been, and appears likely to be, fully adequate for the requirements of the ifeomugh. But in view of the phen<ominal growth of the population ■during the last few years, and the •consequent -needs_of_a Jiugely^augr; .mented number of residents in what we are now pleased to be •able to justly call Our Garden in regard cto water supplies, many people of clear vision and foresight Jare beginning to seriously consider whether adequate provision has been made for rthe future. This would appear to ?be largely a question upon which 'the engineer and hydraulic expert should be called upon for advice, lor it is certainly not one oh which 'the ordinary layman without techmical knowledge can presume to . jpass judgment. At the same time it would appear that there is no reason why such facts in this regard as may be at the disposal of .the Borough Council should not be placed freely and without reservation before the burgesses, thus enabling them, many of them 'liard-headed, clear-sighted successful men .of business, to form a * competent judgment on this important question. From the ordinary conversation of the man in the street during the past few •da\s it is evident that the brief mention of the Water Supply 'Board and the attitude -of the Petone Borough in regard to its withdrawal from the sememe, has . arousoci public interest, and a desire for fuller information as to Exactly what this reference means, .and Low the Hutt Borough stands affected in regard to the matter. There would appear to be an almost universal ignorance amongst the residents as to the* present ■posit:uii.- so far as the Water Supjply Board and the local Council is concerned. The matter appears to bo, to a certain extent, sub - jtiaie^, having been referred to.a special sub-committee the members of which are to meet the special committee appointed by the sister borough in order (as Cr. Patrick tersely put it) to hear their views. Accordingly further comment would at present be premature. But we may reasonably biggest that the whole.matter is one of the very greatest importance to the welfare of our district, and it behoves each and every Taember of the Council, who were •elected by the electors to that hon-ourable-position, to see that those who placed their confidence -in them should be kept fully apprised oil what is being done in regard to this and other important questions. Brief and apparently lightTiearted reference was made at the Council meeting to payments of £167 which the,past year's operations" had cost the Borough,' and the payment of from £300 to £400 annually for the next twenty Wgars alluded to as if such a sum Jtt/as a bagatelle, and a hard-up 'Qj^tepayer may well be excused if Tie expresses views on the subject which, had he been fully seized of the position, he might not have •entertained. We suggest that in i this particular matter, as in some others, the Mayor and Councillors would be well advised to take such •steps as may to them seem advisable to take their constituents fully and completely into their , •confidence. While it is generally •admitted that there are matters and things the details of which

are essentially best discussed "in committee," tHis system can (and often is} be carried too far. • The public is entitled to the fullest information as to the manner in which public funds are administered. We would suggest that this water supply matter is one upon which at a suitable and convenient date the Mayor might well make a public pronouncement, setting out in detail the exact position. This can equally well be done by a statement from the public platform, or by means of a prepared statement issued to the Press £ or,publication. The columns of "The Hutt News" are always open to His Worshipfor such a purpose, arid we shall be more than pleased by this means to assist in a better and more cordial understanding and entente between the electors and the elected.