Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1906. WOULD IT BE WISE?

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3613, 17 February 1906, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1906. WOULD IT BE WISE?

We have made it our business to interview most of the Insurance agents in Foxton relative to the probability of the insurance rate being decreased in the event of the proposed water - supply scheme being carried into effect. After hearing the expressions of the different representatiA r es, we are of opinion that, so far as the insurance question is concerned, any money expended on the proposed welltank system would be money wasted. For the general opinion is that the companies would ignore the effectiveness of such a scheme for preventing fire. We well remember Cr Coley, at a recent meeting of rateyayers, asserting that “we may just as well throw the money in the river as spend it on such a scheme ! ’ ; and we are of the same opinion. We do not wish to place a damper on the question of water supply. Not at all! But we feel we are in the right when we denounce the proposed scheme as likely to prove ineffective. Of course, we realise that ratepayers wish a suitable scheme that can be installed as clump 1 v as possible. But, at the

same lime, we fee! hound to state that if Foxton intends to keep pace

with the times, and at the same time wants an effective water supply, ratepayers will have to be prepared to borrow thousands, not hundreds. What we want is a high-pressure water supply which will serve the osmoses of drainage, ordinary household uses, and fireextinguishing;, and this is the only scheme that should receive our support. There are those who will say the time is not ripe yet for such improvements, and that it is out of all reason. What is the principal argument of such people ? Simply that there will be an increased borough rate! And cannot these people realise that their property value would increase as a result, and also that the town itself would materially improve, and necessarily everyone concerned. An efficient service of the kind mentioned is badly needed, and whilst we are in a progressive mood, let us act! Foxton has remained stagnant too long altogether, and while prospects are good for our main industry—flax, it behoves us to lend a helping hand to the tide of progression which at present threatens to overcome us. We cannot see how such a scheme as the well-tank scheme will meet our wants, and unless some civic genius can advocate a suitable cheap scheme before the coming meeting of ratepayers, it behoves the latter to decide to poll on the question of borrowing a sufficient sum to meet up-to-date requirements. Other towns in the colony of even smaller dimensions than Foxton have worked similar undertakings with success, and if we wish to we can do likewise. Why not ?