LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 9019, 5 December 1907, Page 2

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

MARTON WATER SUPPLY. SIR,—We have now within a fewweeks had two sharp reminders of how iusecure a state Marlon is in in case of a lire breaking out, from want of an adequate water supply. Had Wo been in the middle of a drought, as in past years, when if a match dropped on the grass tho firo would ran, and a gale blowing this ■ afternoon, I suppose Martou would have been destroyed by this time. We have had several sharp reminders before, and I trust now we shall take them to heart, and all bo of one mind, that a first necessity, before any street improvement, is an adequate water supply. I snpposo tho best supply would be a reservoir several miles up-country, fed by a self-acting pump from tho Raugitikei, like tho old reservoir at New Plymouth fed in that way from the Waiwukaiho. For in this case, besides water power, we should get good drinking water as well. But what I think would do, a scheme suggested from the very first, wculd be to dam up the Tutaenui in the valley above where tho road forks, on tho left by the bridle trade to the Tutaenui valley, to the right on to the Mangahoe. I imagine tho dam would be 300 feet above Martou, and as the pipes would .have no sharp bends, but come down to Broadway almost in a straight lino, the pressure would be great whereas possibly half the pressure is lost from the present reservoir becauso the pipes, I believe, turn at a right angle whero they enter the road from the paddocks. My reasons for supposing tho suggested dam would bo 300 ft. above Martou are: Mr Ross told me, on tho authority of a sarvoyot; that his house at Ookeiy -wits- '2101% above Marlon. ' Now, "tho distance from Cokely to tlio proposed dam is greater than the distance from Marton to Cokely, and the ascent steeper; and also becauso Mr Bryca.; of Fern F]",ts, tojd mo tim-t' u'Ui house ia 3Go£t'.''av>o% ; o Mart on, and 3£ should'"suppose 'the suggested'' daiu would bo on a ley id, With .Mr Bryony house. Tho water would possibly be' not the host for drinking, but anyhow it would bo hotter than what we have, and we could clothes in >*, r t venture to do with our present wat.u supply, as thoy say 'it discolours* them." I imagine most ' would vote for this scheme if e.«j-. ptirts considered it feasible aud at all within our means, aud if thoso of the back streets vrero assured that pipes cf a fair size would bo laid on ro them. Ac present the pipes in Sicual M-reet are so small that > on. could not kill a fly on tho windo-vi pane with'lli« hose rive yards pit-*-not that'l suppose you particularly wish to kill them in this or any other manner—but can merely ticklf} them out of notation'. This acneiuu, being one of the original ones sug : gested, is worth considering, mov v i especially as tljoro is, as farast know, no other pot'ore us. sonm ; thing has to bo done to save us from 1 the helpless state of danger we aro in every timo a firo breaks out. I : hear that when the firo occurred tho main was turned oft, and the main : is at the reservoir. If this is ■■ there should be ftnopier maia, so 'cJ : speak, at the intersection 'of Boitff [ street and 'Broadway, av.d ' fii\i '■ should bo' the. only fluim tfiriKU i>s 1 I If any•'connections "'are beiuf m:,do 1 with the pipes below it; and duq notice should be given beforclm-Hl u\ 1 the paper, so that every honseh'.ihh-;- ! niight be ready with his bucket of ! water to dash out any spark tluif ' might unexpectedly appear.—T urn.- . etu. • ■■-'•■■■ » ARTHUR TOWGOOD,