The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 610, 16 April 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 1878.

The works in connection with the Oamaru water supply are now being carried on with increased energy. For some months past, if we except inspection, little lias been done ; so little, indeed, that, at such a snail's pace, the lapse of four years from the commencement of the undertaking would scarcely have seen it completed. To revert to the old inactivity would bear an unpleasant similarity to ruining the whole scheme, or the Municipal Council, or both. The originators of the idea are worthy of praise for having introduced a good thing. We can say no more at pre-

sent, because we are quite in the dark as j to the position of affairs in connection with the undertaking. The extent of our knowledge is that the work has flagged : but we can only conjecture tiie cause. j We know that the debentures have been floated : but we know no more, every i particular in connection therewith having i been purposely withheld from the i public. Perhaps there is wisdom in this. and perhaps there is not—our ignorance of the exact position of affairs precludes us from offering an opinion on this point—but the public will doubtless be anxious that a scheme which started so well and promised them such great benefits, should not be spoilt in the carrying out. There is not, that we are aware of, any danger of this ; but the mist .triune is that we are aware of comparatively nothing. For instance, the present financial position of the Council may be good ; they may have counted the cost of the great work upon which they have entered, and having done so, prepared themselves to meet it. There are so many contingencies to be calculated in raising funds by means of debentures, and not the least important of these is the securitj- which the borrower is prepared to offer. We, of course, do not even dream that the Council's security will be deemed insufficient, or that any other difficulty has arisen to militate against the successful and speedy prosecution of the waterworks ; but it has been customary in the case of such ■Teat public undertakings to accord the fullest possible information when the arran"ements connected therewith have been attended with even ordinary success. The reticence of the Council on the question ; the exclusion of the representatives of the Press when it is being discussed.; the tardiness which has so far characterised the performance <»f the work ; and other ominous signs, :ire not reassuring. We last evening suggested that the Council should offer a bonus to the contractors as an inducement for them to complete tiie contract at the earliest possible time. Every d<iy now increases their burthen, and in six months or thereabouts from now, at the present rate of procedure, the Council will be necessitated to find the money ! somewhere to pay the interest of over L 40,000, on account of the waterworks loan. The amount will gradually increase I for the ten months immediately following, , at the end of which the contract will ier- ; initiate. It is generally admitted that the I estimate for the waterworks was consi- | derably below the mark, aud that it will be necessary for the Council to cut and ! contrive in order to enable it to consummate the work it lias undertaken. Of course, it muse ba admitted that the Council have gone too far to retrace its steps, even if it were desirable for it to do so. The position must now be faced ; that is certain ; and there is nothing that will be so effectual as economy in .enabling the Council to face it. If it becomes: necessary to expend an amount nearer!

L 90.000 than L 60,000 in order to complete the scheme, so much the more necessity for finishing the work and making it reproductive as soon as practicable. The importance of the subject has necessitated our reverting to it.