The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 635, 8 December 1858, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times.

Wednesday, December 8. Just like nine out of every ten human necessities which happen the least out of the common way, the present great necessity of Lyttelton is recognised and its supply begins to be provided for only when the time of its greatest urgency has arrived. A plentiful provision of good water is ordinarily a gift of nature in our temperate climate, and therefore we seem unable to realise the fact that artificial means of supply may sometimes be required. It is long since we first pointed out the fact that Lyttelton is one of the places to which nature has in this respect been less than ordinarily bountiful ; but it did not need the aid of onr columns to make it ' known. Every one who cares about the I matter knows that there is no ever-flowing ; stream pouring its waters into the sea at |our feet; every one knows that in the volcanic hills above us there are no bubbling fountains and limpid springs. Every one who knows Lyttelton knows, and has known as long as he has known Lyttelton, that the water which we use for all purposes is for the most part either the surface drainage of the basin in which the town lies, or is obtained by digging into the bowels of the earth in certain places. The former supply is cut off when a term of dry weather of any length occurs \ and the wells, being now few in number, are liable to be exhausted when the whole population draw upon them alone. These facts are well known, having been amply demonstrated in the experience of eight years; and yet we have not taken a, single step to remedy the evil, though we are adding to the population of the town, not only by the ordinary rate of increase, but by large and sudden reinforcements, which, though customers for water but for a time, require large supplies. The shipping of the port too, increasing* fast, is left to compete with the inhabitants for the use of the public wells. ,„.As we said, just as the deficiency of water becomes painfully great, the first steps are taken to increase the supply, because of course action cannot be delayed any longer. Boring apparatus is set at work to find out the spots where wells may be most successfully and easily sunk. Perhaps some other but still convenient place may be found for the shipping to water, that they- may not exhaust the slender supply in our only wells. Perhaps some measures may be taken to form public reservoirs for the rain which will fall by and by from the sky, that next summer may not. be as bad as this. But in any case the evil will have passed through its worse stage before the remedy can be applied. May that st.^.ge be no worse than it is now ! We are not over stating the facts when we say that many of our fellow townspeople have found it actually impossible during the past hot days to obtain the water they required- for necessary purposes, and this when without doubt water exists in ample supply beneath our feet, though the poor man and the tenant cannot get at it; and when perhaps a year's supply poured down our hill sides in one week out three months ago.