WATER AND SEWERAGE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVII, Issue 34, 8 February 1913, Page 8

WATER AND SEWERAGE.

THE BLENHEIM SCHEME

&EXT STEP «1N THE ENTERPRISE

;' Mr John St.urrock, resident con'■'Btructfonal engineer, in a report- received by the Borough Council last I night, said that he was proceeding j Bfcaadily with the scheme, and would '"continue to do so until otherwise in--' .Ktrueted. Tho detail design of the 'sewerage scheme had been com"inenced,' and this involved much 1 minute re-arranging and-re-calculat-ing:* to concentrate' the various sewers and gradients in the most economical manner. "As .things are going," said ■tho engineer, "I expect to have the 'contract drawings completed for the sewersand' septic- tank about two months hence, and the design for the water pipe reticulation can be com".menced at any time. This, however, 4 is" a very much simpler matter, as no levels are required or sections, and ;,the work can be done in a third of \thii. time necessary for the sewer de'fiigH. ' Following upon these, and immediately somo decision is .come to regarding the method of water supply, specifications will be prepared for the .pumping plant and tenders invited. In regard to m.y staff, I have discharged one of the ehainmen in view of th-a completion of the bulk of the levelling operations. In regard to my assistants, there is ample work ahead for them ' for two or three 'months in 'the, preparation of the many drawings and details without \vhkih a contract cannot be let with «ny certainty as fo -results. When the contracts have, been all let and the commenced it may be possible to reduce my staff, but .that depends, upon certain things1, and I .would then go_into the matter afresh with your Council, as the question of a' very thorough inspection of the work as it proceeds will require to be dealt with. Your Council will readily understand •"that, wliero sewers have to be laid in •:waterlogged ground, the cost of haying, every pii>«'. inspected when it is feeing, la.id is far more than paid for caftcrAvards in. the- absence of trouble ...due. to' over-burdening of machinery b% leakage of underground water into the. sewers.".

THE FINANCIAL PROBLEM

The Town Clerk formally reported the. selection by the ratepayers of the .Waihopai scheme in preference to the pumping "process.

The Mayor inovod, accordingly, for the statutory advertising necessary to. the talcing- of <a loan poll, with .&■ view to raising of an additional .£42,000. representing' the extra cost of the Waihopai scheme. In doing so he. said he would only hope that jthe. proposal would not be carried. Councillor Girling, in .seconding, expressed the same sentiment. It would, he said, be very dear money. Councillor Parker drew attention ,to the statement of the Prime Minis-

ter tWt it would not be possible to supply the. local bodies with loan

moneys not yet taken up. Would jfihe^Council secure the balance of the £65^000 loan at 3£ per cent. The Mayor presumed that the Government would keep its obligations. He went on."to say that the Borough solicitor's advice, was that, hi the event of the ratepayers refusing, the. £42,000, the pumping scheme, already authorised, would still be before the Council.- The £65,000 pro••ciaed for an allocation of £28,000 for ■flae,. sewerage system. If a satisfactory tender that would cover the cost were secured, it would not be Hecessary to go to the- ratepayers for a_ small additional'loan. That brought him to the important question as^to tljg availableness and the. cost of the *B5 t QOO loan. Of this, £900 had.been€S'nended, and £4100 was in the bank, leaving £60,000 to lift. The Government s original stipulation was that the money should bo all lifted before •fiio^S.nd of May to secure the low rate ct interest. The poll to determine Whether the ratepayers would the additional £4%000 re■:'<sitt&d■'■'for the V^aihopai scheme f^^':W^]^ *aken on March \*r ' RfesqHition{j; fco meet .'the posi- \ feon- s^bujdi: r he-. m'av&d by Councillor Immg, in behalf of the Finance Com. .™#efi.'.^ '.■,';■ :>••■••■.-:•■.■ :;-VvW,v\... o vo.uncdlor Girling' moved that the superintendent of: fclie State. Advances U&Qp be written toVand asked to extend the. time wittin which the rev inaander of the £65,000 loan could be kited on the interest terms aa-ranged. it the Uavernment could not see its way to extend the p&riod of grace for Knne. six months, the Council would S"« t« consider the feasibleness of lifting the money before May 2nd ratf.mvosting it, earning as much as possible with it until it could be exE^nded. ■

Councillor Birch, who said that it would give tho Council breathing .time, seconaed tlxv motion, which was 'carried.. ,