“BUY WHOLE WATERSHED”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 617, 20 March 1929, Page 6

“BUY WHOLE WATERSHED”

NORTHCOTE APPROVES SUGGESTION SAFEGUARDING LAKE PUPUKE

Several reasons were advanced by the Northcote Borough Council last evening in support of a suggestion that the Crown should secure the ownership of all The land forming the watershed to Bake Pupuke.

The council considered that the lake provided the only source of supply within reasonable distance, that it was adequate for North Shore requirements for a considerable time, that the water was Wholesome, and that the maintenance of the purity was of great moment. It also thought that it was more desirable that the whole of the lands falling toward the lake should be removed irom private ownership than that a two-chain strip only, as suggested by the Health .Department, shoual be retained, that the water belonged to the Crown, and that the Crown should secure the land surrounding it, thus providing a public domain that would remain even if the use of water from the lake was discontinued by the North Shore.

AREA AS A DOMAIN It was pointed out that should the local bodies purchase the area, there would be the almost certain risk of reversion to private ownership in the event of Bake Pupuke being relinquished as a water supply, because of the desire to utilise the proceeds toward payment of the new water scheme. Thus the opportunity of this property being publicly retained as a domain would vanish. The Health Department have suggested that there would be adequate safeguards if there was a twochain strip round the lake and a circular drain at the lower end of the building area. This would entail compensation to owners of the land. The council realised that the acquisition of the whole area would entail much heavier compensation, but believed that the end would justify the expenditure. The council decided to do everything in its power to co-operate and solve the difficulties. On the question of rating on the area the council passed the following resolution: “The council cannot admit any liability for loss of rates to the Takapuna borough by reason of the lakeside lands being wholly or partially reserved for water supply purposes, ►such being exempt from rating; nor an this council consent to contribute toward tu construction of any sewer that should rightly be undertaken by rhe Takapuna borough to serve its irrhLabitants/’