WAINUIOMATA WATER SUPPLY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5734, 15 August 1879, Page 5

WAINUIOMATA WATER SUPPLY.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sin, —Mr. Lngan has been good enough in your issue of this morning to furnish for the information of the ratepayers details of the estimated cost of the proposed Wainuiomata ■water supply. He does not say whose estimate this is, but I presume that it is the estimate of the City Engineer. Assuming this to be the case, it would be satisfactory, I think, befoie the large expenditure required for this service is authorised, if the ratepayers could be informed whether or not this estimate has been submitted to and approved by the ConsultingEngineerof the present waterworks. But even if this had been done it must be remembered that the moat carefully framed estimates by engineers, architects, or other professional men, rarely come up to the actual cost of any large undertaking. There is small ground for supposing that the scheme under notice would form an exception to this general _ rule. I therefore submit that it would be desirable, by way of aiding the ratepayers to form a judgment as to the reliability or otherwise of the estimate Mr. Logan has given, that particulars should be published of the estimate given for the present waterworks and of their actual cost.

The information now before the public regarding the Wainuiomata scheme is most meagre. If its promoters were endeavoring to form a company to undertake the work I feel satisfied that their prospectus would have to furnish mere detailed information than that which has at present been vouchsafed to the public. I can see no reason why equally precise information should not be furnished to the ratepayers when the money required is to be borrowed on the security of the city rates. If the great blessing of a never-failing supply of pure water can be procured for the amount it is now proposed to borrow, there are few ratepayers, I imagine, who would begrudge the money ; but what I feel is, that we may borrow this£l3o,ooo, order thepipes, commence the work, and afterwards find that as much more will be required to finish it, in which case the water rate, now sufficiently high, would become oppressive and more than many persons could afford to pay.—I am, &0., W. SEED.