“Alarmist Reports”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 303, 14 March 1928, Page 16

“Alarmist Reports”

LAKE SUPPLY ADEQUATE NORTHCOTE’S DECISION “That this council, after taking into consideration the facts and theories as at present advanced, is of opinion that the position does not call for any variation in the source of the present water supply for this borough,” was the motion passed by the Northcote Borough Council at a special meeting held last evening to consider the proposal of the North Shore Borough’s Water Board to link up with the city’s water supply. A REPORT from the Borough Water Supply engineer, Mr. J. Williamson, recommended the council to continue using the lake until it fell to 10 feet below sea level, which would not be for some years. It was unnecessary to* think of improvements and the needless expenditure of £232,000, when the alarmist reports about the lake were based on mere conjecture. Councilor A. T. Munn considered the lake to be entirely satisfactory. He said there were big interests at work trying to drag the Shore boroughs into the Waitakeres scheme. The Water Board was so constituted that Northcote and Birkenhead could be outvoted on any point, and it was not right that the board should be permitted to commit the North Shore boroughs to such exorbitant and unnecessary expense, in view of the efficiency of the lake supply, and the prsent inadequacy of the city scheme. “It is absolutely ridiculous to join any scheme not capable of giving water limitlessly,” he said. “It would suit the City Council splendidly to bring the Shore boroughs into the Waitakere scheme, as it could then withdraw to some other source of supply without apparent ignominy.” Councillor E. J. Fraser strongly deprecated criticism of the Auckland City Council. He considered it an insult to the intelligence of those responsible for the welfare of the cit> to suggest that they could not cope with the water supply system satisfactorily. Mr. Fraser considered that the council should take serious notice of Mr. Powell’s report. An amendment moved by Councillor Fraser, that the council should combine with the other North Shore boroughs in considering improvements to the water supply, lapsed for want of a seconder. It was proposed that an attempt should be made to combine the two pumping plants of Northcote and Birkenhead at Lake Pupuke. The chairman of the works committee, and the engineer were asked to wait on the Birkenhead Borough Council to ascertain its views on the proposed amalgamation of the two plants.