WATER AND DRAINAGE

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 15 May 1914, Page 3

WATER AND DRAINAGE

FURTHER LOAN PROPOSAL

CRITICAL RATEPAYERS

THERE was a large attendance (fully 150) at the adjourned ratepayers' meeting, held in the Star Theatre last Thursday evening, to consider further loan proposals for the water and and drainage scheme. Mr Jas. McLeod (Town Board Chairman) presided.

The Chairman referred to the previous meeting at which it was decided to adjourn and get their solicitor's opinion as to whether the Board could take the water and drainage" past the owners' boundaries.

After the " opinion " had been read over, the Chairman said the sum total of it was that the Board had the power to put the water and drainage connections to people's houses by arrangement. The Act could be construed so that su6h an arrangement could be entered into, the cost of the work bieing paid back by intalments. There would be interest chargeable on the sums advanced of 6 per cent. Since last meeting Mr Burt had prepared estimates of work showing that to take the drainage to the boundaries of 196 houses would cost £5 per house, a total of £1000. To connect right though with water and drainage, everything complete, was estimated at £22 10s per house, a total of £5,242. At the request of Mr Laßcche the estimates were then read as follows: DRAINAGE^EXTENSION No. ft. pipe about inches £ 7th Ay. & Garfield Rd from School gate 470 0 150 Ist Avenue ... 100 6 18 4th Avenue- ... 480 6 60 2nd Avenue ... 300 6 43 Awaroa Road ... 1000 9 240 Gow Street "... SOD 6 43 Sewer to Capt Menzies 140 6 15 ' Sewer to Mr White's & Police Station from No 1 Sewer to 6th Ay 500 6 £62/10 WATER SERVICE £ s. d 3rd Avenue 450 ft 4inch pipes 63 0 0 2nd Avenue 300 ft 4inch pipes 41 0 0 Total sum ... 742 10 0 In replying to Mr La Roche, the Chairman said the £10,000 loan was procured at 4% per cent for interest and sinking fund. For the loan of £3,000 debentures had been issued at 5/-, and against these the Bank was advancing 80 per cent of the amount, the interest chargeable being 6 per cent. The same rate of interest was being paid on overdraft.

Replying to Mr Elliott, the Chairman said that there would have to be a special rate for any further borrowing.

Questioned by Mr Douner, the Chairman stated that the route of supplying Mill Street with water had been altered so as to use up 400 ft of six inch pipes. It was a question as to whether they should use these pipes or buy more four inch ones. The engineer had advised that the pipes should be used.

Mr Downer contended that £50 of the ratepayers' money had been thrown away by using six inch pipes instead of the four inch which was provided in the scheme for Mill Street. It had also cost him 200 ft more of piping for his cottages by the water supply being taken down the Dairy Company's siding.

The Chairman disagreed with Mr Douner's statement, but the latter produced a plan in proof of same, and was loudly applauded by the audience.

Mr Becroft said the matter Mr Douner referred to was an engineer's blunder.

Mr Downer: Yes, and the ratepayers have to pay for it.

The Chairman argued that no mistake had been made in putting the mains down the factory siding instead of Mill Street. He proceeded to quote instances of engineers' estimates and howmuch they differed from the actual expenditure on various Auckland works, and held that the Board's engineer had been pretty near the mark with his estimates.

Mr Becroft could not help but admit that the case Mr Douner pointed out was an engineer's blunder.

In reply to Mr La Roche, the Chairman said that he was satisfied there would be ample water supply if another £200 was spent on the dam.

Mr La Roche complained that his repeated enquiries to members of the Board as to whether there would be sufficient water suppy and on what grounds an affirmative answer was baser! did not receive a satisfactory reply. He proceeded to show that information about the scheme was somewhat lacking. He understood the dam storage at present was about 400,000 gallons, and that the height could be increased to make the storage 600,000. The lowest daily con-

sumption of water per head in districts adjacent to Auckland was 50 gallons. -On a 200-house basis at the same rate Helens" ville required about 50,000 gallons per day. He quoted figures byMr Jas Stewart and the Engineer of the daily catchment at the dam, and showed that the storage and. catchment was far from sufficient at a moderate allowance per head for the present population during a dry summer. Continuing, Mr La Roche contended that the" water scheme should provide for up to 300 houses. He was in favour of further borrowing, but what was the use of it when they had no supply. The amount proposed to be borrowed came near £7,000, and he considered they should defer the question of borrowing until they knew more about the supply. The ratepayers had been misled and now had to pay for an inefficient service. He advocated getting the opinion and a report from a reliable man on this question. The Chairman replied that Mr La Roche had not proved his figures, and that the engineer said the dam would hold 500,000 gallons. Mr McLeod also said that another four feet of the wall would add largely to the holding capacity of the dam. Various exchanges occurred hereabouts as to the quality of the water, between the Chairman and Mr Strange. Mr Elliott's grievance that he was a heavy ratepayer and the scheme provided him no benefit, was put before the Chairman a number of times. —The Chairman replied that the scheme provided 1000 feeb of water mains along Awaroa Road. If the ratepayers said that Mr Elliott should have the water carried to his place then it would bs done. Mr Carl Saridinsaid the Chairman informed him at the ratepayers' meeting that the previous £3,000 loan would complete the scheme. Now a much larger sum was wanted, and they had no assurance that this would complete the scheme. Why didn't the Board get their engineer to come and explain matters ? He considered the ratepayers should have more information. The Chairman replied that the engineer was employed by others besides the Town Board. A motion by Mr La Roche, which lapsed for want of a seconder, was to defer the question of borrowing for three months or make arrangements to borrow in three months' time. Mr D. Stewart suggested that the Board put in drainage connections to the boundaries. The Chairman said he was agreeable to this at last meeting of the Board. Various and amusing passages between Mr La Roche a.n 1 the Chairman and other ratepayers occurred, which made the meeting of additional interest. Mr F. W. Strange moved to defer the question of borrowing until a new Board came into office, in thiee months' time. j Mr D. Stewart seconded, stat- j ing that there was no unanimity among the Board, and those who had the borrowing of the money should have the spending of it. An amendment by Mr E. S. Masters, that the ratepayers approve of a poll being taken on the loan proposals, was seconded by Mr J. Simcock. After about half-a-dozen enquiries, Mr C. Sandin was eventually informed by the Chairman that the loan pro- ! posals did not include a fire station, but if the ratepayers desired one the money could be added. After more discussion, and calls for the resolution to be put to the meeting, a vote was taken (only a small number of those present voting on the question). The Chairman declared the amendment carried by 18 to 15. Subsequently the meeting decided toinclude Porter's Crescent in the drainage extensions, and •include Mr Elliott's residence in the water supply extensions. The audience then started to leave the building, the hour being late, and the meeting terminated.