Stratford Mews

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 50, 17 July 1912, Page 3

Stratford Mews

From our Resident Keporter. !> OUR WATER SUPPLY. PURIFICATION TO BE TACKLED. The turbid town, water supply was "aerated" at 'Monday's Council meeting. Mr. T. D. Sullivan's scheme to provide a small settling tank and intercepting trap at the lieadworks was favorably reported on by Mr. H. W. Climie, consulting engineer to the Council at the time his report was written. He considered, though, that to get the water as pure as seemed to be desired, mechanical filters should be constructed. The Council talked the matter over at considerable length. The Mayor hoped the Council would do something to purify the water. Cr. Healy referred to the system of natural filtration at the lieadworks. This had fallen into disuse, but was it useless? Why not obtain a report upon the possibility of improving it? He opposed Mr. Climie's idea to construct filters in King Edward Park, at the corner of Brecon road and Paget street, on the ground that the pressure would be reduced. A reservoir at the headwork* would be better. He would not favor any expenditure being undei'taken until a report upon the system originally established at the headworks had been obtained.

The overseer, in answer to Cr. Morison, said the pressure nuist be prejudicially affected by Mr. Climie's filtering scheme. This settled that proposal for the time being, councillors saying that they could not afford., to reduce 'the pressure. Ct ; King'spoke strongly in favor of the overseer's scheme, which would provide for the flushing out of the main tunnel. Wellington's water supply was no better than ours, and Auckland apd Devonport had worse. The Government analyst had reported that the waiter was good. The ir.ossV taste could not be removed by filters. Cr. Ward agreed with Cr. Healy, and advocated the compulsory taking of the land at the headworks by the Council. Cr, Boon said that the soil was too light and soft for the gallery system of natural filters at the headworks to be of any use, and it was useless to'think of trying to make them work. He thought that''by adopting the overseer's. ■ scheme' much of the muddy taste would | be done away with, for this arose from I the two or three feet thick of pure black | mud—really decayed vegetation—Which lav in the bottom of the tunnel.

The Mayor moved that steps be taken tjo give effect to' the overseer's recommendations, but it was pointed out that the work had been previously authorised. Cr. Healy objected, to .the scheme b.eing 'called the overseer's sclieme, the idea put forward by Mr. Sullivan was a recognised practice long before Mr. Sullivan thought of it. He was not prepared yet to believe ' tha' Council's scheme of filtration was useless, for whoever recommended that it be .put iji ihust have, satisfied himself that the soil and conditions were suitable. ■

. Cr. King said be believed in .giving credit where credit was due, and it was Mr. Sullivan ■ who proposed, the . 'intercepting) trap and flushing system.

Cr. Healy said he had no wish to 'detract from the credit due to the overseer, He admitted that the more silt-traps the purer the water would be. ■

. The work recommended by the overseer will be proceeded with, and Messrs.Eobinson and Christopher will be asked for a repoTt upon the condition and possibilities -of the .syst.em ipstalled : but at present useless.

''TWENTY-TWO SWITCHBACKS." MOJRE WORK SADDLED ON THE LOAN The overseer, Mr. T. D. Sullivan, submitted a plan of the surface of the Opunake road, to show its undulations between Broadway and the borough boundary. He estimated that to grade the . road and metal it to a width of 16 feet would cost £1425. The Mayor interjected, rt That is a lot of money," and Cr. Healy rose and strongly urged that if the Opunake road was to be kerbed and channelled it would have to be regracled. It was the second busiest road • in the borough. Cr. Morison was of the same, opinion, but Gr. King protested that Opunake road was not sufficiently important to warrant such an expenditure. There were other roads equally deserving. Cr. Healy, replying, said that grading' was essential, for'there, were twenty-tHvo "switchbacks" in the road, and so many outlets for the water would prove expensive. Tlife Mayor saw no objection to the scheme being scheduled, as it uould prove useful perhaps as a suggestioh for' some suture loan. It was quite evident that the works scheduled were too nuch for any loan thai would be considered now. The Council then ''scheduled" all works for which estimates had-been prepared, by the engineer. ■ It was noticeable that several" of the councillors minutely examined' the Opu- ' nakft Toad plan with the plan upside | down.

"IN COMMITTED"—A FARCE. ' Committee business in the Stratford Borough' Council i=l a farce. At Monday nighty meeting Cr.'J. H. Thompson hit someone pretty hard. Mattery discussed ii; committee tlo:iked out crlyon the day after' modi:: during, the,committee discussion l>.: ,i ji'jio :i"' bit of a mix iu the stm So ailed in" on ili- id. -- : , , same purpose. Cr. Thompson saW th-t there was- a vital principle involved in the matter of going into committor. * !' v r: ; ,-ntood' it mattt-rs ."iiilicn by the Cotvfcil should not go outside the Council room. lie was a young councillor, and had not been at the table long, but ho was going to see the matter thrashed out once and for all. ? A Councillor sniggered. Cr. Thompson said he w:'s serious over the' matter, and theic was no fun in it,for him. Matters dHcussd :, i corfimittce aM-t Monday's meeting of the Council had been brought into his office by outsiders on Tuesday morning. It was capped by what happened in the aft: moon. The result of the division on the motion regarding Messrs. Mercer and Drake's contract, the whole of which was discussed in committee, was common propprty, and he was made the "scapegoat." He was not frightened of pub- ! i'citj, but p.ibl'cily should come through its legiti'n ! '< u>nel—the press. They I should be in committee literally, and [ nothing should come from the committee | but the actual report of the committee. I The M" vor said he very much regretted tint C'r. Thompson should have to :-..;y that matters that had been dealt with in connritteo had been reported outside. He had no doubt that what Cr. Thompson had referred to had taken place. When a Council sat in committee, nothing should go outside of the proceedings that took place in committee. A vital principle was involved in the matter. As far :>s the councillors indi-vFn-ily v.'crc cm:' (!••'<• did not go into ci; mil tee to conceal or hide I their views, but for the purpose of conserving the interests of the Council. He

very much regretted that any councillor should have had to complain that proceedings in «omnutleo had been, reported outside. He could only take it that the matter came from someone in the room at the present time. If lie knew of anyone divulging to outsiders matters that j had been discussed in committee, lie I would speak very strongly and plainly to that man. The Mayor concluded': "If any councillor has violated what is recognised as a rule in all bodies in connection with committee proceedings, I would ask him to take my remarks as referring to him personally." Cr. King said Or. Thompson was quite right in bringing the matter forward, but he had not gone far enough. A Atigma now rested upon every person in the room at that time—the town clerk, the Mayor and the members of the press as well. Cr. Thompson had -brought down a charge, and he (Cr. Thompson) should have thought twice about doing so, unless he was prepared .to substantiate that charge by naming the man. Cr. Thompson asked should he act as Sherlock Holmes and ferret out the offenders? He had had unpleasant scenes with people of this town. (A Cr.: You'll have more of them yet.) One man had assailed him straight on questions that were dealt with in committee. He had told that man straight out that he was not in a position to discus 3 matters with him that had been brought up in committee.

Cr. Healy said that he had heard committee proceedings discussed in the 6treet, and much regretted it. Cr. Morison corroborated Cr. Thompson's remarks. He had not been in the town an hour next morning before he found that the Council's committee business was public property, and everyone kne.v how each councillor had voted. Someone had done an exceeding great wrong. Cr. Ward: I wish the Council to understand that since the last meeting of the Council I have not seen Messrs. Mercer and Drake, or anyone else, and discussed the matter with them. Cr. Healy: I don't think anyone is accusing Cr. Ward. Cr. Ward: I am just clearing myself from a reflection that has been made on the whole of the councillors. I think that these matters should: .be discussed in open council. Cr. Lawson bore out the remarks of Crs. Thompson and Morison. The Mayor: We don't -want a repetition of it; it's"very unsatisfactory.

STRAY. PARAGRAPHS. The decision of the Council to submit to the ratepayers a proposal to borrow £OOOO for widening the Victoria bridge to the full -width of. the street—99feet—was fully discussed in the street yesterday. It is an "end-against-end" business, the southerners gping solid for .the new bridge, and the northerners either opposing it op taking the matter indifferently. As for the discussion, part of it will be handled in a day. or. two, when ■things have settled down. Three weddings yesterday. Druids and Egmont Club card teams meet next Monday. '' " Dr. 0. Evans, an ex-pupil of the Stratford District High School, is on a visit to Stratford.

H.M.S. PINAFORE. The evergreen and ever-popular opera i$ to be staged on Thursday &nd' Friday by the Stratford Operatic' Society, and there is sure to be a big house. The Society's record of performances is excellent. We have not forgotten, the Society's performance of "Trial by JWy," and, judging by the trouble and' expense it is going to, "Pinafore" promises to easily excel the last excellent production. On, this occasion the Society have got their own orchestra of about fifteen performers, who have' been practising with the Society for weeks, and their playing promises to be a feature of the evening. .The cast is a very stroiig combination of local artists, including Mrs. Rennell, as "Josephine," Mrs. Bond; as "Little Buttercup/' Miss Black as 'Hebe," and Messrs. Dunlop, Lander, Lewis, Cato, and Liddington, as "Sir, Joseph Porter," "Capt. ' Corcoran," "Ralph," "Boatswain," and "Boatswain's Mate," respectively, and last but not least, Mr. F. W. Wilkie, as "Dick Deadeye"—the joke of the evening. The box plan is at Mr. T. G. Grubb's.

THE PICTURES. No one needs a reminder, perhaps, of the grand re-opening performance at His Majesty's Theatre on Thursday night. There is sure to be a big crowd of Mme. Bernard's old friends, to whom the temporary closing down, of the picture theatre has been an unwelcome infliction. But as the "change means promotion" to higher things in the picture world, the temporary dullness will make future pleasures more appreciated.