The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, MARCH 29, 1926. MUCH ADO ABOUT SOMETHING.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 March 1926, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, MARCH 29, 1926. MUCH ADO ABOUT SOMETHING.

Since the disastrous Are of n week ago there has been muck ado about the event, but little that has been helpful to inset the situation which all must realise is ever present owing to the defective qualities of the water supply purposes. Two meetings of local bodies discussed the problem at some length, hut tho wordy combat ended in a negative decision. Like l’unoh’s essence of Parliament.— “business done, nil." Yet it should he obvious where there is .so much agreement as to the defects, that something should ho done to meet the situation. The lay mind has expressed itseTf very freely and offered all sorts of opinions without result. ; Is it not time that some expert advice were, called in for the guidance of those responsible? Wo recall that some months ago a proposition was put ltofore the Borough Council to obtain a report from a firm considered the soundest available advice in the Dominion oil hydraulics, but nothing came of it. That correspondence should be turned up, and tho excellent ofibr made to the Council at the time, taken advantage of. It seems a useless waste of time to speculate on posibilities and do nothing, while the town stands in jeopardy hourly because of a. defective water supply. The sharp .experience administered a week ago should remind the peoplo that they are living in a fool’s paradise by relying on the water service as it is at lire out. li may break down at any moment. And the alternative steam service for fire prevention purposes, it was explained at the Fire Board nweting, is even more uncertain. The insecurity as regards an outbreak of fire is so great that the people themselves are to blame if they allow the pn?sent conditions to continue undisturbed. It is highly essential for fire prevention and domestic purposes that there should be an adequate water supply available at all times of the day and night. The inconvenience and hygienic risk at times oven for water for domestic purposes is very great. How much more dangerous for fire purposes the want of a water supply is. can he fully understood. But surely this was realised a week ago when the firemen stood impotently by for several minutes while the flames had freso play. Yet there was a water ‘ supply put in equal to tho requirements of a town much larger than tHs. Thnf it has deteriorated is oil too evi-

dent-. There must Ire a remedy, and experts should ho called in to advise. A small sum would suffice to obtain a preliminary report on the prpsent condition of tire pipe-line and the causes of the failure in flow as well as the evident leakage overnight. Experts with a knowledge of hydraulics will ho able to sum up the cause of the defective flow, and that mastered, the leakage difficulty will be met in some measure. But a remedy is necessary for that also, ft system of examinations of lengths of pipes in various parts would indicate very soon the real condition of the reticulation service. It seems imperative to reach a. definite finally in regard to the state of the water service that the best advice should he called for, and with that information available. the subject can be reviewed sanely in regard to steps governing remedial action. That is the present position as it appears to us, and the action is so obvious that the Borough Council should lose no time in talcing the action suggested.