THE OPENING CEREMONY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7798, 14 April 1905, Page 2

THE OPENING CEREMONY.

KEJIINESCENT SPEECHES. A MOST SATISFAOTOItY TttiAl... In response to the invitations issued by the Council, a niid'Tately largo but representative p.irt.y i:.u(le 11 hn tii,> on Thursday .il'leriioon to | attend the opening cer-moii* i'oi-

'..■naU'l} the weather clear :.l up in ill - a t,.rnoon, and the party I-:h1 n. enjoyable drive out to the leiide/.vous, arriving hy h.ilf-past swo o'clock at tlit* pipe lieail. The (Visitors- were first isjorte:! on loot to rfie source oil the supply .ir.il inspected the intake works with ureal inSf.esi. Am»>ng- iliose presenl, ;n addition 10 'he Mayor (Mr K. Cockj and llorough Engineer (Mr !•!. Harvey (iibbon), were Crs. Brooking, llrowne, Wilt, Coliis, .Yhier, MeJley, Me: s s E. M. Smith, A1.11.1t, 11. Okey (chairman of the County Council). •!. H. Connelt (chairman o( the Harbour Hoair.l), (!. 'I isoh (chairman of the Hospital Hoard), .1. S. Mehseliar 11 rnlerivriters' Association), T. Is. Skinner (l)oroiigh engineer at the lime the scheme was inilintiJ), Sladden ISurxcyur I, Govelt and Quillinm (Council's solicitor.-), Newton (contractor tor the lilteis), I'ikelt and Spencer (contractors lor the reservoir), McWilliams (contractor lor the tunnel), \V. Weston, Henry King, F. Ilellringer (Captain New Plymouth Eire llrigivde), 11. . Mack electrical engineer), the borough inspector (Mr Kendall), the Town Clerk (Mr Ilellringer), and others. The Mayor read a telegram from Mr C. -J.. Mestayer, M.1.C.E., stating that lie was unavoidably detained 011 business and had only received the invitation at 11 late hour. Apologies for non-attendance were also received front the provincial Commissioner of Crown Lands (Mr Simpson), Mr E. Dockrill (an exMayor of New l'lymouth), Mr O. Samuel, and Mr H. Good acre (President of the Tradesmen's Association).

OPENING THE INTAKE. The initial ceremony, that of opening the intake at the river, was performed by the Mayor, to the accompaniment of plaudits from the spectators us the water swirled into the tunnel in a strong stream.

Addressing the gathering the Mayor said they had assembled thut day for the purpose of making another epoch in the history of the borough of New Plymouth (Applause )i lie referred to the condition of affairs many years ago, and said that as time went on and the population increased, it was found that owinjj to pollution of streams and wells and streams of the town a supply of good potable water was an absolute necessity. "Consequently," continued Mr, Cock, "in tlie year 1881, the ilorough Council borrowed the sum of 000 for the purpose of electing the old reservoir and pumping station, which" ;s now about to: be dismantled. These works were completed during the regime of Mr Bayly as Mayor, and tuken over by by the Council on the 7th day ol March, 186:$, or 22 years nfio. Messrs Itarr and Oliver, civil engineers, designed the works, anil the firm of Henderson, Fergus and MacKay, of Dunodin, Constructed them. It was a combined grnvitation and pumping system, comprising a dam, raco, pumping station, and reservoir. The pumping gear was reckoned to fill the reservoir in 45 hours, and when full would supply the town for a fortnight without further pumping. This fact alone spealfs volumes for the comparatively small size of New Plymouth in the year 1883. At the present timo the same pumps are working to their full capacity day and night to keep the town supplied. > In the year 11)02 it bceame evident that immediate steps would have to be taken to increase the water supply as the existing service was inadequate and the quality of tho water not all that could be desired, hence on tho 20th August—Mr E. Dockrill being Mayor—tho ratepayers authorised the raising of a loan of £24,000 for bringing an entirely (resh supply by gravitation alone from the Waiwakaiho. That is the present scheme, comprising intake works, tunnel, pipe head and mechanical filters and reservoir."-' Mr Cock concluded his remarks for the nonce by giving details of the tunnelling and intake works. ltefreshmcnts were then partaken of, and a group photograph was tak;en to commemorate the occasion.

The Mayor took the opportunity of welcoming Mr T, Jv. Skinner, oxborough wjgi-nwi', to the opening ceremony, and paying a tribute to his. valuable services' in the past'. Although 'Afr Skinner when in the position of engineer, Tiad not designed the scheme, yet he had had a great deal to do with it in the early stages, and had pointed out clearly that the site at that time •selected was the wrong place for the reservoir. i-jis representations were successful, and a grave blunder thus averted by his efforts. Although Mr Skinner left the borough's employ, and the scheme had been carried out by -two other engineers, j-Qt he had, prior t 0 his departure from the Council's service, done splendid service in getting the work; under way.

Mr Hughes, in supporting the Mayor s remarks as a ratepuycr, also also spoke appreciatively* of Mr Skinner's work in respect to the ltccrcation Ground,

Mr Skinner briefly acknowledged the compliments. Had the reservoir been placed where first proposed the preasui;q wouM have been 110 greater than the old scheme, JoOlbs to the square ineh, but in its present position the new supply prossuro was the really good one of 150 Ids to the mjuare inch.

AT THE KESEIWOIH. About a mile's walk brought the purty back to the pipe head, vhcro the second stage oi' the proceedings was the turning om of the water into the 15-inch mains leading to the filters and reservoir, This concluded, the vehicles were boarded ag-ulin;, and a start made for the reservoir site. Here the number c t visitors was largely augmented a largo number interested in . the works having availed themselves ol the luill-holiduy and paid a visit of inspection. A big crowd gathered round while tile Mayor, after the engineer had explained the details of the filters, worked the valves, uik! when a strong stream of wu'tpr flow when a strong stream pf watpr flowed into there was some display of enthusiasm. The practical an<l successful demonstration of the capabilities m' the scheme left I 110 room wtou lever for doubt as to its ellicufy. The whole of the working was tested, the rcv<jrsins gear I also being put in motion in the koud filter to show how the nppara|tuh it, cleaned out periodically. The whole works, especially the i'eiser7,mJ'ni! VC, ' e Vi ? WCd with interest, and all wer e loud in their praises of the excellent wp.yk u»n o . ' , J /L VL ' a ' u ' H ! ly was turning

Oil UK) valv» controlling the nine loading to the reservoir! | !v \j '£ time there was a B |,lc.Klid pnm. . \ hc „ voLuniu of w„U, which pou- , ea o\u the weir chan/ber wus well worth witnessing'. Ills Worship iifiKle a s|n«.ch ni>- ' propriuto l (J the mls . );t . iolls "ion.y, gonipHmumuig concerned , on thu successful completion of the « scheme. A great (leal of credit was \ duo to the engineers ami all concern- v ed. (Applnu.sxy. Healing with the f financial aspect, he j.a}d the Conn. [ eil had V>un<| H would bo necessary « to oivll oil thu ratepayers for au- « thonsations to complete the loan u works in hand, although it would v not be necessary inunodiatelv to no 1, oi« the market (or in,>n?Y. * Thu i l-ouncjl >(,'ul power (.0 work on an I

overdraft to the extent of £8(1(1(1 ' ll with that and the monev siili unexpended they might be to continue foj- the next year or i Wo without again to the 1110pey market. lie hoped that this \youl(l bo so, and advocated that the Council should try and immune in this way unless tile balance necessary coukl bo floated at <ll i«.r cent. While money was so dear, us iL '.'f' S ?"' hc W0,,U1 !' l ' l -' ri -' r to pay the Bank interest of 5 J per cent >oi a tune, than to get money per~ly a t a k , ai , wtCi iuii) lie trusted % v t the charge ~ ' ""''V' ?oon he rcdncl-d 1< J ..M " 1 . tl,e , V' l,ncll wou,tJ l'« "I'lc l i uuL . UI V additional loan A » electric lighting w-is'Ttlvii'.■n° ,V c " m, " N>ht ' nK| v ,> lim ' s *Wis ,tdvisible, and would be more beneficial, The money at iuJ..ni J'l 'foie' 0 . 1 ] W ' >Ul u IU,VO 1,1 doubled liifoie the scheme would supplv etllcicnt fluid cheap lighting (or the Uwt , cvcl '-Vb(«ly would ■lw u|l#e to obtain It at a very much cheaper rate than they were nit parent paying for cos. (How Jiwir)# In conclusion, tlw Mayor ex-

in which Mr L. G. T. Spcnocr, an ex-borough engineer, had,, in conjunction with his partner, carried out the construction of the reservoir.

ill 1 11. Okey, chairman of the County Council, proposed the toast ol success to the water scheme, at the s:aui« time thanking the Mayor un<l Council, on IMiulf of the visitors) for (heir pleasant ami instructive outing that. duy. 'With to the finances lie suggested the issue of debentures tu be redeem**! ut the rate of say, £IOOO, a yenr us time went on.

The Mayor ncknowle.lgwl llie toast which was heartily honourod. lie paid a trMiuUi to the service of who hail hud a nr.'at. deal of hard work during the pu*t Car.

Mr S|K»ncer, in aclinowktdgtng the complimentary relorenc;* to hiN firm's work, so ill tha-l ho U'lii-vcii this was the fiiift reservoir in AustraUv iu tu lie asphalte'l, atwl covered with a curved roof. lie had endeavoured to turn out u really good joh, ami from his point of view, there was only one fault, the work was tlon« too cheaply ■. (LuughU'r). Hr K. M Smith, M.H.K., ulso made h brief si>eech, pointing; out th.it 22 years ago he had spdkcii in lavour of u gravitation scheme as ngttinsl pumping. This terminated tile day's outing, ami the visitors ivturned to town at (5 o'clock.