WATER AND DRAINAGE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2148, 6 July 1920, Page 3

WATER AND DRAINAGE.

ESTIMATED COST, £35,294,

A special meeting of the Borough Council was held last night to consider the water and drainage scheme submitted by Messrs H. W. Climie and Eon. There were present: The Mayor (Air J. Chrystall) and Crs. Hunt, MeMurray-, Bryant, Rand, Coley, Thompson, Parkin, Walker, and Pearson,

The Mayor said that he had gone through (lie schemas submitted very carefully. The engineers’ estimate of the cost of the water supply was £20,477 Od od, and the , sewerage £14,817 11s (id, a total cost of £35,294 17s lid. In their estimates the engineers had allowed an additional 20 per cent, (included in the. above) to cover contingencies. Taking interest at 5i per cent., with a one per cent, sinking fund, the annual cost to the borough under this head would be £2,293, and to this had to be added the cost of pumping, £450, making a total of £2,749. At the present time the sanitary arrangements in vogue cost £387 annually', ancl, of course, this amount would be saved by. the drainage scheme, leaving the actual additional extra cost at £2,302. The rateable unimproved value of the Borough was just over £97,000, and to produce the £2,302 annually for the water and drainage scheme a rate of live pence and sev-en-eighths of a penny in the £ would lie necessary' to be struck. The installation of the Mangahao hydroelectric scheme would eventually reduce the annual cost considerably', as the above figures Tor pumping were based on present conditions, whereas the electric power would he much cheaper, and a saving in the annual charges in this connection of £3OO could be looked for. When the water and drainage scheme was completed a water rate would be levied on" those in the area, and lie estimated this would produce an :imount equal to two pence in the £ on the unimproved value of; the whole borough, and the extra rale of those outside the area would he reduced by this amount. He estimated the total rate, including the present rates of s ld, would lie, roughly, bid in the £ throughout the Borough, with an additional 2nd in the £ water rate on the property in the water area.

Cr. Thompson asked if it was proposed to include the whole borough in the rating area.

The Atayor said (hat; a water and drainage scheme would ultimately increase the value of the properties outside (lie area actually served, and he was firmly of opinion that the whole borough should be rated.

Crs Walker and Coley agreed that the wiioie borough should lie included in the rating area. Cr. MeMurray' considered it was hardly fair to ask (hose outside the area who would not get: the benefits jo help to pay for the scheme.

After some further discussion it was decided that, subject to satisfactory financial arrangements, and arrangements .with the engineer re commission, the Council adopt Messrs H. W. Climie and Son’s water and sewerage scheme, the whole area of the borough to he pledged as .security for Hie loan, and a poll to he taken of (he whole of the ratepayers. The Mayor said that 1 lie engineer estimated the average cost: of the house connections for both the water ami drainage yvould he about £-12. There wore 300 houses in the proposed area, and the total cost of installation would therefore he over £12,000. It was the usual practice for the municipality to raise a loan to cover this work, same to be repaid by the property owners by instalments.

The Mayor was authorised to interview the Public Trustee in reference to raising the loan. A meeting of ratepayers is |u he held next week, When the details of the scheme will he. placed before them.