WHAKAREWAREWA SEWERAGE SCHEME

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 34, 2 October 1931, Page 4

WHAKAREWAREWA SEWERAGE SCHEME

LOAN IS MOOTED COUNCIL DECIDES TO TAKE INITIAL STEP TO RAISE £3100. NEED FOR HYGIENIC SYSTEM, The Drainage Committee of the Rotorua Borough Council recommended to the Council on Wednesday night that the initial steps be taken to raise a loaq of £3100 for providing a sewerage seheme for the native village of Whakarewarewa and the outer adjoining area. The work as far as possible was to be carried out as a relief work under No. 5 Scheme. The total estimated cost of the work v/as £4000, of which £900 had been promised by the Minister of Native Affairs. | It was also recommended that a iurther sum of £4500 be raised for the completion of the suburban sewerage system. This twould provide sufficient for the extension of the scheme already completed. In connection with the drainage of the village, the engineer (Mr. F. J. Lennahan) submitted an- estimate for carrying out the scheme. • This was divided into three sections; £1500 for the pq area; £2000 for the Tyron Street area; and £500 for the treatment tank, making a total of £4000. Mr. Lennahan pointed out , inter alia, the difficulties of forecasting accurately a work of this nature. With a reasonable amount of luck in carrying out the scheme, however, the engineer did not consider that the whole amount of £4000 would be required. The proposal to raise a loan for the Whakarewarewa work created some discussion, but was eventually approved.

Not Time for Loan. Cr. E. Johnson said he did not think the present was a time to be raising a loan. He agreed with the argument that the opportunity should be taken to use unemployed labour, but taking all the circumstances into account, he thought the question of raisng a loan should be deferred. Cr. Keane agreed with Cr. Johnson that the loan might better be deferred at a time like the present. He asked whether the natives at Whakarewarewa would pay any sewerage rate. The Mayor said the residents in the village would not be asked to pay this rate. It should be remembered that the Native Minister had offered to contribute £900, and he was of the opinion that the scheme should j be proceeded with while the Department was in the mood to make this money available. The actual cost which would fall upon the Council for work in the pa itself would be in the vicinity of £750. In this connection, his Worship pointed out that the cost of the nightsoil removal at present was equal to the cost of interest and sinking fund on the portion of the loan to reticulate the village.

Special Rating Area. The residents in the locality would have the right to the final decision in the matter. The question of constituting the area as a special rating district would have to go to a poll and he thought the position at present was sufficiently sound to justify the Council in putting the matter to the ratepayers. From a health point of view, there could be no question of the desirability of reticulating these outer areas of the town. Cr. A. Smith supported Cr. Johnson and Keane in their contention that the present was not a suitable time to raise a loan. Cr. Johnson said that after hearing the Mayor's explanation he was not opposed to the idea. He had not appreciated the fact that the scheme would not entail any increase in the rates.

Hygienic System. The Mayor reiterated his statement that under the suggested arrangements, a very much more hygienic and satisfactory system could be provided with no increase over present costs. It was most important that a proper and hygienic system be provided for the village. Cr. Coleman pointed out that the scheme could not affect the rates of the town in general, but only if the special rating area which might be constituted if the ratepayers in that area desired it. Cr. Keane expressed the opinion that this placed a different complexi°n on the matter and without further discussion the Council adopted the clause in the report and passed on to further business. ! In connection with the raising of a further sum for the suburban sewerage system, it was pointed out that this did not entail raising a further loan, but merely making available money already allocated.