Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, SEPT. 14, 1893. Our Water Supply.

Manawatu Herald, 14 September 1893, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, SEPT. 14, 1893. Our Water Supply.

The election which will be determined this evening will, we hope, result in the return of Councillors who are prepared to face the question of the expenditure on the water supply in a fair and businesslike manner. Artesian boring is very risky work, and has been made very clear by the original sum of £50 having been increased to close on £175, We believe the present contractor is not sanguine of getting a flow, so much desired, in the strata the pipe is now in, and therefore an unknown future is before us. A powerful flow would be an exceedingly good thing, but the fable of the dog and the shadow is worth recalling to mind at the present juncture. The flow of water in the ; present shingle stata rises to within eight feet of the surface of the ground, and flows very fairly after an amount of water has been pumned out. At present therefore the town can be supplied from the present well instead of from surface wells or the river. . Being sure of this is it wise to risk a very much larger increased expenditure by further sinking to get a flow? This is entirely a question for the ratepayers to decide, but whatever way they do decide the water supply should be carried out from funds specially raised for that purpose and not from rates primarily raised for road making It appears to us a remarkable simple issue, whether the work at the well should temporarily cease, and a small windmill pump and tank erected, or that a loan should be obtained for further trials. For our own part we favor the loan because we believe that such a large expenditure having been incurred it is worth while proceding with a longer trial, as a powerful flow would enable a water service being given to a very large portion of the town which would be almost inestimable in a hot and dry summer such as we are very likely to experience. A loan would be the means of sotting free for road work the sum already spent on the well, and thus a tardy refund would be made to the users of our very bad roads.

What we desire to impress upon

our townsmen is tin'?, that the work at the well must be at once stopped or money must be got b.y loan; in order to make sure o?;i \Vater supply, as directly the pipes are driven below the present water-bearing strata they are now in there will be no saying when they will come upon the next water-bearing strata. It may be urged that if tha pipes were driven anoi-liL-f fifty feofc without getting water, the pipjs could be burst at tho dypth they now tire so as to use tho wiu.3i- they aro in ; but this would be suoh v waste of money, as the pipes being once broken no further driving could be made. If we stop at tha point; wo are now at then further ai tempts can bo made when funds an.< obtainable, and, therefore we earnestly urge immediate stoppage of further driving at the artesian well until a decided course ol action is decided upon.