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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 922, 2 March 1881, Page 3

A Dunedin exchange says, that thft disputed wager between Drake (the bookmaker) and Goodison, arising over Mata winning, the Dunedin Cup, was decided last week by Tattersails’ Club. The decision is in favor of Goodison. This means that Drake: fa to pay £1,900.

will always ibp-a prominent characteristic of some pubiic bodies. The prodelay s ■ being dangerous, has ho effect on them. Sufficient fot the day,. if it be the evil thereof, is quite,good enough for them. A correspondent has treated on this: elsewhere in this issue, with regard to Road Boards; apd, we desire to say another word (pro-’ bably the la&t of the season.) to our worthy Borough Councillors, or to.; such of them as obstructed the ag- r gregation of data re a possible water supply. We fancy the glow of satisfaction that wall pervade the hearts of those gentlemen, while they contemplate the falling rains of the past day or two, which have answered the double purpose of filling their cisterns, and putting off, for some months, the probability of the question being again brought forward. The chief object we, and those who supported us in the Council, had, in view, was, not to run unprepared, and unadvisedly, into a net-work of expenditure, nor to commit the Council to anything definite, beyond the settlement of the primordial question>: “Is it possible for the Waiherere flow, to hold out) during ; a lengthened, or, even an ordinary drought, so as to keep up the supply of the growing requirements of the . town.”- This could have been eaaily and inexpensively ascertained, by any cotopetent: person.. The con* tinuousuessfor: limited duration of the "being: determined on, the ulterior, though not subordinate ques* tions of reservoir, levels, surveys, and permissionto lay-pipes, would: have been: matters quite •unnecessary to dis-; euse,' until the burgesses; had decided 1 whether-they ; were prepared tfo, defray .the cost. The grievance is that the only period of the year—the end of a .dry summer—has been allowed to slip by, and-:- nothing-; done l ,; -beyond)*)the usual “ talkee,talkee,’’ arid postponements from one fitting of the Council to another. Now, it is too late. While we w’rite, the . clouds are dropping their fatness <in so plenteous a ktream, as to put an inspection: of ihv source of water supply out of the question ; while the prospect of broken weather, and, conveniently periodical rainfalls will cause that diminution of interest which is a fatal weakness in those who will hot, or do not, prepare for emergencies. It is just possible that the autumn may be a dry one. If so, we urge upon the Borough Council to bend this much to public necessity. Keep the question in view that, above all thing*, the duty of water provision is a paramount one; and that until Councillors are assured of the continuity of that provision, it is, worse than trifling with the promises they make before election, that they will do their utmost to protect the best interests of the burgesses..