WATER SUPPLY SCHEME.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5340, 17 October 1928, Page 3

WATER SUPPLY SCHEME.

WmEKTON-AWAITI, AREA. DETAILS OF PROPOSAL DISCUSSED Settlers of the proposed Awaiti? Netherton water supply area assembled at the Netherton Hall last evening to discuss details of the proposed scheme. Mr E. L. Walton, county chairman, Mr F. Basham, county engineer, and' Mr E. A. Mahoney, county clerk, were present by invitation. Mr J. A. Reid, riding representative on; the counc.il, presided, and explained that the meeting had been called 1 because the council had been asked by the Water Committee as tQ * -how the scheme was- proceeding.. Se*vsettlers did not understand the » scheme, and he had accordingly invited the county chairman a.nd staff to attend a meeting tc s give full details. Mr Walton, seated that some months, ? ago the council had been reqhiested to carry on with a scheme fqr. watering the district. The deputation had . stated that everyone in the proposed district favoured the propos.a.l, and that almost everyone had 1 been interviewed. On* the strength of this- the council had advertised.,for objections, and quite a number had been received. The scheme, propounded by the county engineer had also been objected to on account of the e.qst. As a liesuit he had suggested tha.t a pubulic meeting be held. Explaining the procedure to be folgw'lowed. Mr Walton sajdi that the firs /■thing tc ; be, done was to dispose of the objections. These could be withdrawn or decided by arbitration. The council would them take steps- tq obtain the approval of the Local Government Lexans Board to the raising of a [ loan. The necessary procedure would i take several months. A roll of ratepayers in the loan area gave another opportunity for objectors to delay holding of the loan p9 ll The who ■ .time occupied by the formal procedure to the time of the poll would be about seven months. - If a subsidy was desired the appub cation had to be made before the ten- • - ders for the work were called. UnJess by a Minister, it .would not Tbe known whether the subsidy was granted until the Public. Works Estimates were approved by Parliamen . . That, in the ordinary course or events, would be about October. Experience had shojvn that a saving of from 15 per cejnt. to 20 per ' eent. would be effected by indenting pipes from England, but this won <1 take, about four months, so it wou be almost autumn qf next y ear^ e " fore the water became available Tne engineer’s estimates had been based on the cost of indented pipes, and the loan necessary would be £5600. The period the loan wquld be fixed by i' the local Government Loans Board. ! If it was 20 years, the r.ate necessary as security would be 2d in the ... n 3 addition, there would be the cast o J- power for pumping, maintenance, et.. On an acreage basis the cost was estimated to be 3s 2.6 d for the first y*ar and 3s 1.4 d for. the second and suci? seeding years. It was. posable that succeeding, councils would cojllett the money by a rate on the valuation basis. , ■ , ~ , Details of the srheme were submit.ted by Mr Basham as, follows: Area, 6200 acres; carrying, capacity .at one ' beast to 1% acres, 3466 ; maximum dajly consumption, 20 gallons per beast, 69,320 gallons ; pump capacity, ■lOOO gallons per hour at 100£t head ; motejr, 10h.p., with starter, switch, etc,; costs, mains £4707 2s, pumping plant and installation £1591, total £6298 2s. To substitute 7260 ft ot , sin cast iron main instead of. 4jn ga.l Wvanised iron main, .as was insisted «n. ''by the Public Works, Department, would .entail an increase of £544 10s . in total cost, making £6842 12s. lit a subsidy qf £1 for £4 was. granted) a .total loan of £5600 would be required. Mr Basham explained that ,tihc scheme bad been provisionally approved by he Public Works Department. In reply .to Mr. Mills Mr Walton explained that if a subsidy, was nc ; t received the cost would be one,-fifth ar one-sixth more. . . The county clerk said that without the subsidy would! be 3s 9d. Mr M. A- Carter, a member of the Settlqrs’ Committee, explained that the -settlers .whc ; had entered objectinqs had with one exception signed the petition to the council. He pointout that the original proposal was 7 favoured if it did not cost more than 2s 6d an acre. When, it waft found that the cost exceeded this some naturally objected. Mr H. A. Mills said that he was one of those who had agreed to SUP" port the scheme only on condition that it would not cost more than 2s 6d per acra He moved that the meeting apporve the . scheme as outlined by the council, and that it be urged to take immediate steps to further the scheme. Mr 'Walton said that the resolution appeared to be ajl right, but there were only 26 settlers- present out of c.ver '5O in the area. Hq would suggest that if the resolution was carried •i further resolution be) moved asking 1 Mthe council to take a referendum of settlers. As an amendment Mr J. Munro moved tha.t the informaion supplied, was insufficient to justify pi-qcqeding with the scheme. Mr W- Richmond seconded. The amendment was supported by Cjn,ly four votes- The motion was then carried, with three dissentients. On Mr Walton’s suggestion Mr Reid moved that a referendum be taken among the settlers of the area on the, advisability of the scheme. Mr Carter seconded, and; the motion, was carried.