From our District Representative.

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 289, 1 August 1932, Page 7

From our District Representative.

PUBLIC OPINION OPOTIKI WATER SUPPLY Sir, — Will you be good enbugh to' allow me to mention ih ^your widely circulated paper, a matter which is being regarded with some misgiving in Opotiki. I refer to the manner in which the apportionment of the charges for borough water is being liand-. led. Without intending to cast ahy undue reflections on the ahility of our worthy burgesses, in any directiions, ' I do think that, to parody the Words of the shipwreeked sailor, "We have! water, water eVery where " but not a man to think." This is the way of it, sir. The borough bffanged to sup'ply the dairy factory with whter at h certain rate for six months, the rarrangement then to be reviewed. In the hurly burly of running the multitudinous borough affairs, however, it Would seem that our overworked au-. thorities overlooked *the matter, for two years went by and the revieW was still "being kept steadily in view." Then there came a day when Gouncillor Hitchens, who is a plumber by trade, was doing a little of This and that at the factory, when he discovered, so 'he avers, that the borough's water supply was heing hsed for purposes outside the usual factory requirements. After an animated discussion, the council appointed a committee to investigate on the scene of the tragedy. The result was that they learned that the council was ptetty, lucky to have been treated so well by the factory manager, who had the power under his agreement to have the borough supply cut off altogether. The council was pleased to arrive at a compromise; the present syste'm continues for three months and then it is hoped to have the matter adjusted. Now, sir, if this could happen in one instance is it not possible that there are other instances where a. little investigation of methods and eontrol may possibly reveal anomalies ? In any case a review of the whole civic administration would at least clear the air if not the water. — I am, etc., SUBMERGED. Opotiki, 30/7/32.