Water Supply.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 267, 15 November 1904, Page 3

Water Supply.

OUTSIDE CONSUMERS

r t n SrS „ J o D ' Shaw ' J - E ' Wilson, n",«- L pe - ncer> L - Sladdcn, E. Griffiths and H. Buckleton waited upon the Boroogh Council in reference to the supply of water outside the borough boundaries. They presented a petition signed by 60 residents beyond the borough boundaries, now connected with the water supply. The grounds of tho petition ivere :—(1) That so far as the petitioners are aware, no cause has been shown for raising the existing rates , (2) that the minimum charge of £3 per annum is, in the majority of cases,, excessivo, and will prove a source of hardship to a number of small property holders, who if Uncharges are insisted upon, 'will be compelled to revert to the use of tanks, and that the proposed seal* of charges is unreasonably j„ excess of that charged in the borough The petitioners protested against being compelled to pay for me ters until such time as the use of the latter is made compulsory by nil consumers within the horouuh. Thev wished to further emphasise the" fact ■ hat meters should be needed less under the new water service than under I the old, as the cost of supplying wn- . ter by the new gravitation scheme is less than when it had to be pumped The supply i s f ar in excess of the demand, and until such time as it is shown that the available quantity of water is in danger of being detrimentally affected bv consumers there appears to be no need for use of meters.

Mr Shaw said tho minimum paid by those outside the borouirh was in excess of that paid by those resident within the borough. He said that he objected strongly to pav for the meter ; it would be cheaper to have tanks. The gravitatioo scheme should surely be cheaper to work than the present pumping system. There -was an increase of 100 per cent, on the rates for jraterj V£ number of people outside the borough had tanks, and if the borough persisted in these charges, these residents would use them. If the outsiders came in it would help the burgesses.

Mr Sladden said as a Fitzroy resident ho could tell the council that ratepayers there thought they would come in under the oM system, but to pay a minimum of £3 was too hard, lie understood the supply was enough for 15,000 consumers, and it would be a long time before thero was a shortage.

Mr Wilson pointed out that a largo number of suburban residents and ratepayers within the borough felt aggrieved. They were paying rates for the benefit of the people who used water within the borough. He endorsed Mr Sladden's contention as to supply. A considerable number of people could not afford to pay the proposed charges, und a great loss of revenue would result if this course were persisted in.

Mr Griffiths said many of those who had put in their applications for connection would have to withdraw them.

Tho Mayor pointed out that more than half the signatories to the petition were ratepayers of the borough.

Later on, when Cr. Brown, indue course, formally presented the petition, the Mayor said since talking over the matter with the outside residents he had considerably altered his mind on the question, ife thought that if the higher charge were persisted in the borough would lose £3OOO per annum. There were many ratepayers who never used the water during working hours. Cr. Brown gave notice of motion that the council rescind the resolution dealing with the water supply.