THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times PUBLISHED MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS' AND FRIDAYS. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1916 PUKEKOHE'S WATER SUPPLY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 142, 7 February 1916, Page 2

THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times

PUBLISHED MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS' AND FRIDAYS.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1916 PUKEKOHE'S WATER SUPPLY.

"We nothing extenuate, nor set down aught i7n malice."

The Official Organ of . The Franklin County Council. The Fukekolie Borough Council. The Tuakau Town Board, The Karaka Road Board. The Pokeno Road Board. The Wairoa Road Board. The Papakura Town Board. The Waikato River Board. The Morcer Town Board.

The letter that appeared from the Major ot i'ukekohe in cur issue of Wednesday last, in reply t3 our previous comments in the matter ot the borough water supply, and more particularly the much indicted pressure reduction valve, was an excellent diatribe in ita way and certainly furnished some information that serves to enlighten the posilioD. The Mayor, however, tak«s up the attitude that since the Wt?rworks Engineer (Mr Wyatt) makes a repoit to a certain elJect it 13 incumbent upon the ratepayers to accept his -statements and recommendations without question. In cur opinion such, a line of oi' argument is distinctly unfair to Mr Wyatt. His conclusions may be perfectly justified, and his advice sound, and being the man

"on the spot,' with knowledge of affairs as they exist, his views deserve every respect. Tte ratepayers of Fukekohe have, however, learnt thtir lesson by failures in the past, and it is therefore natural that Cefore their sanction is accorded to further expenditure they should desire to be thoroughly assuied that the course suggested by Mr Wvatt is the best ore to follow. To this end the appointment of some recognised txpert to consult with Mr Wyatt is desirable from the ratepayers' point ot view, and is even in Mr Wjatt's interests, sir.ee expert corroboration ot his views woulJ, under the circumstance, be a father in his cap. As things arc now, the ratepayers with some reason place some doubt un the Council's project, having regard to the side issues of a

' scare' order that have been introduced in the past. For instance, just prior '.o the loan poll uf last year it was asserted that the pump was liting s'j dangerously overtaxed that it was liatle at. any mmulc to eivc way. Then, again, Ih2 concrete lied ot the engire was stated to have developed a crack—which might at any moment be followed bv a complete iracturc and a stoppage of the pump. Last, but not least, was the thrilling suggesli n'put forward on the eve of last year's poll, that if the loan was not curied the town would the following day be without water. Yet twelve months have passed since ! the- 1 , ar.d water is Etill existent i and the machinery performs its

The Mayor's chief point of argu- j merit in his Utter under notice somewhat unnecessarily raises tha point of public confidence in Mr Wyatt Be asks, "What is the difficulty in believing the report of the engineer?" and he then evolves an answer, "simply prejudice.'* As previously explained, however, it is not a question of believing or ncc believing Mr Waytt's report, but purely of a very proper aud right desiie of being doubly assured. The Mayor himself even at the last meeting favoured the appointment of a consuming engineer as conduive to the Council gaining public confidence and in and out of the Cuuncil he has adhered to that course being undertaken. Indeed, if we refer to a letter ltum Mr Mason that appeared in uur columns in January of last year, just prior to the loan poll, when he was not a member of the Council, we find that he said, "If this loan falls through it will be due to the in | justice of the Mayor and Council in ' drawing the special rating area, and to their apparent notion that the ratepayers, like su many children, will adapt their opinion without any exposition of facts on which they may judge tor themselves." Can Mr Mason now, in face of that statement, quarrel with the ratepayers if they wish the Council's opinions backed by an expert 'i Then speaking in April at a public meeting called in support of his mayoral candidature Mr Masoii was reported as follows : " Thus both in regard to the draiuage and water schemes brought forward by the Council he considered that extreme caution should have been exercised in the selection of an advisary engineer so that the ratepayers should have had full confidence in the reports presented them by the expert. He was not satisfied with the appointment that had been made and would favour advice beiDg obtained from another source in both instances

Having regard to the future and at some date the probable installation of a water gravitation scheme the fixing of a level for a new reservoir was a very important question and should not be carried out except by an experienced and reliable engineer." The Mayor in his letter adds his own experience in testimony to the defects of the pressure reduction valve. We will admit that it is quite possible for a considerable quantity of water to pass throug.'i the valve even when it is closed but such, however, ill only be due to the valve seatings being badly scored. Will the Mayor say that the leakage cannot be avoided if the valve is attended to periodically and its seatings kept true 'i We have yet to learn that such work has been performed. The two safety valves in the town that automatically come into operation when the pressure reduction valve is in any way defective are said to be the scenes of the loss of- water. If such i 3 so what easier method of proving the loss and its extent can be set up than the attachment of meters thereto although all the same, as already stated, the pressure reduction valve itself only requires skilful overhauling to prevent the initiil cause of the leakage. It, however, ap pears to have been taken for granted by the Council that the pressure reduction valve is incapable of doing its work and money would . only be thrown away on attempting its repair. We do uot fall in with that contention, but assert that its shortcomings can be rectified and should not be allowed to continue.