TIMARU WATERWORKS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2689, 1 November 1881, Page 2

TIMARU WATERWORKS.

The waterworks, which will convej a plentiful supply of water from the gorge of the Pareora river to the Borough of Timaru, a of over twenty miles, are rapidly approaching completion. Most of the pipes have been laid in the Borough, and it is expected that the house connections will be made, and that every building will be supplied with water by the middle of the month of December. The contract provides for the completion of the pipe laying by the end of the present month, but it will take an additional fortnight to test the pipes, and stop the leakages which are certain to be discovered when the full water pressure is put on. As a preliminary to the public celebration which is to take place when the water is laid on all over the town, His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. H. Sutter) invited a number of gentlemen up to the dam at the Pareora yesterday, to witness the turning on of the water into the race. All the Borough Councillors except Councillor Cullmann, who was absent through indisposition, and about thirty of the leading citizens, assembled at the Council Chambers at 9.30 a.m. and proceeded to the Pareora in vehicles which had been hired for the purpose. Some of the tunnels and portions of the water-race were inspected en route , and after traversing some execrable byroads, and crossing the river and its delicate boulders, only one spring was broken before a halt was made on the flat about a mile below the dam. Directions were then given by the “ Captain ” for the preparation of luncheon, and the company walked along the water-race to the dam, where the Mayor and Councillors were met by the Waterworks Engineer, Mr Dobson, junr. An inspection of the works at the head of the race was then made, and all present were well pleased at the long talked of and much required water supply being now an accomplished fact. Mr Dobson explained the details connected with the work, a full report of which has already been published in these columns, and those present gathered round for the opening ceremony. His Worship the Mayor said —Gentlemen, I have invited you to be present to-day to witness the opening of the Timaru water supply, aud I am certain you all feel with myself that the completion of the waterworks scheme is one of the most important matters that has ever been celebrated by the citizens of Timaru. When our engineers (Messrs Dobson and Son) undertook the work of

providing the town with a water supply they stated that the water would be in Timaru by Oct. 31. They were not far out in their as the day named by them had arrived, and he (the Mayor) was present to turn on the water. The water would not be in Timaru for over a week, as it would take it twenty-four hours to reach file reservoir—which is situated on high ground about two miles from the town -—and the reservoir would take a week to fill. A public demonstration would take place in the presence of all the burgesses of Timaru when the water was distributed all over the town, but the Borough Council considered the present ceremony in the presence of the leading gentlemen of the town should take place, as all the townspeople could not travel thirty miles to see the water turned on. He then, with the assistance of the Engineer, raised the sluice, and the water dashed off along the race in the direction of Timaru, amid the cheers of those present. A return was made to the camping ground, where an excellent luncheon, provided by His Worship the Mayor, was partaken of. Full justice having been done to tde edibles,

His Worship said—Now gentlemen, charge your glasses with champagne for I am going to propose a toast, the only one that is to be proposed to-day, for we have no time now for making speeches. The toast I have to propose is the health of Messrs Dobson and son, the Engineers who have brought this work to such a satisfactory finish, and without whose valuable assistance we should in all probability not be assembled hero for a good long time to come. (Applause). lam not given to flattering as you all know very well, (Hear hear), and I would not speak well of men who had not carried out their work in a satisfactory manner, but on the present occasion I am happy to say I am speaking of men who have done their work honestly and well. (Applause). Messrs Dobson and Son —and Mr Dobson junr. especially, who has had the sole supervision of the waterworks—are deserving of the thanks of the people of Timaru for the ability and energy they brought to bear in providing the town with a water supply, and that too at £13,000 less than the cost estimated by other engineers. (Hear hear.) Whenever anything in the shape of alterations were suggested Mr Dobson had always willingly carried them out. I can confidently recommend Messrs Dobson and Son to any public body who are about to carry out water supply works. (Hear hear.) I beg to conclude the few remarks I have made by again asking you to drink Mr Dobson’s health in flowing bumpers. The health was drank in the usual manner and Mr Dobson, junr., briefly returned thanks for the complimentary speech made by the Mayor. So far as he himself was concerned he considered he had only carried out his work as it ought to have been carried out.

Mr F, LeCren said he had another toast to propose before they left, notwithstanding the decision of His Worship that only one toast should be given. (Loud cheers.) The toast he had to propose was the health of His Worship the Mayor (applause) who had been mainly instrumental in carrying out the waterworks scheme. The Mayor had worked hard, and had left no stone unturned to make the work a success, and lie (Mr LeCren) considered that all honor and credit was therefore due to him. (Applause.) The Mayor’s term of office had now nearly expired, and he did not think the people of Timaru could do better than put him in again. (Hear, hear, and a voice—“ For Gladstone also.’’) The toast was drunk with musical honors and three times three.

The Mayor thanked them heartily for the enthusiastic manner in which they had drunk his health, but, as he had said before, be did not intend to make a speech on the present occasion. His speech should be reserved for the public demonstration. (Hear, hear.) Some thirty of the gentlemen present then accepted His Worship’s invitation to walk a short way down the waterrace, or “just round the corner’’ as he described it. Your correspondent preferred to proceed by vehicle, and it turned out that his choice was a wise one, as after walking about four miles one Councillor “ caved in,” but rather than he be left behind, he took the river as if he had been “ to the manner born,” and was picked up dripping wet by one of the vehicles, which owing to the ever watchful and considerate Town Clerk, had been brought to the rescue. The others were taken up by the vehicles about two miles further down the river, and the whole party proceeded back to town after having inspected the syphon in Briggs’ Gully on the way. The day was beautifully fine, and the party seemed to enjoy themselves thoroughly. The accompanists of No. 3 express did so most heartily.