Water Board Scheme

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 737, 9 August 1929, Page 8

Water Board Scheme

Govemment Asked to Legislate

SUBURBAN local bodies in the Auckland Metropolitan district have elicited a promise from the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, that a Bill designed to establish a water board for that area will be favourably considered. The scheme propounded involves tapping the Waikato River and conveying the water in a pipe line 35 miles long. Estimates give the total cost as £700,000, the population to benefit as 100,000, and the local bodies concerned as 13.

This is not the first time Parliament has been asked to consider this scheme. Two years ago a Bill was drafted, and Parliament, under the Reform regime, was petitioned with a view to having the proposals proceeded with. Yesterday a deputation comprising Mr. E. H. Potter, Mayor of Mount Eden, Mr. L. E. Rhodes, Mayor of Mount Albert, Mr. C. F. Gardner, Mayor of New Lynn, and Mr. J. M. Melville, a member of the Mount Eden Borough Council, was introduced by the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, Minister of Health, to the Prime Minister, asking that a local Bill granting facili ties for establishing a water board to control the metropolitan area be passed. An outline of the scheme, as enunciated by Mr. Potter, showed that the scheme would supply the area controlled by 13 local bodies, with the prospect of others joining later, while existing schemes would be able to supplement their supplies from the new proposals. The scheme was a simple one, Mr. Potter said. It was just the tapping of the Waikato River, and the water would be conveyed by a pipe line of 35 miles. The scheme had been thoroughly investigated and the local bodies were all in favour of it. ONLY PERMANENT SUPPLY There was a feature that could not be overlooked, namely, that the larger local bodies were supporting the scheme to support the small bodies and to provide for the fanning community and all others, an adequate water supply. They had come to the definite conclusion that the only permanent supply was the supply from the Waikato. He did not think the Auckland City Council opposed them, although the council had its own little scheme. The proposal was to supply the first 3,000,000 gallons at Is a 1,000 gallons, which would cover interest, sinking fund and working expenses, and after that the price would be automatically reduced as the consumption was increased. However, at present they were only asking for leave to present the Bill again. They had not given proper notice and thought it would be necessary to suspend the Standing Orders. A petition had been presented to the last Parliament to do all it could to support the scheme, because within 40 miles of Auckland

there were large areas which could be developed. The cost would not exceed £700,000. A recent price given for the pipes and for the placing of the pipes in position was considerably under a previous quotation. The manufacturers proposed to establish a business for the manufacture of pipes in Wellington, and to erect works within the proposed pipe line area. It was considered the area in which Auckland now had its water supply was too precipitous and that the erection of dams was a mistake. "CART BEFORE THE HORSE” It was further explained by Mr. Potter that the Bill provided for the formation of the water board only. The policy would be decided by the incoming members. The source of supply was not mentioned, but certain representations would be made to the incoming members of tl\i board and certain facts and figures would be placed before them. Sir Joseph Ward: You want authority to have a water supply and to carry out the detailed arrangements afterward. Mr. Potter: Yes. The scheme takes in the northern boroughs, which at the present time have only Lake Takapuna. The new supply would go as far as Dairy Flat. Sir Joseph Ward said the deputation had the cart before the horse. It wanted an enveloping Bill to enable it to carry out the details afterward. Sir Joseph added that if they would send the Bill to him and make in writing a request such as they had just made, he would go into the question to see if the facilities could be given to have the Bill introduced. He wanted to examine it to see if Parliament would be justified in suspending the Standing Orders to allow the Bill to be presented. On the face of it, it seemed all right. “If yon send it along I will bring it forward, and I expect we will grant the facilities,” the Prime Minister said. The deputation mentioned that the Reform Party and Labour Party were being consulted as to their attitude toward the scheme, at the same time stressing the urgency of adequate water supplies for farmers, gardeners and horticultnralists within a wide radius of Auckland City.