WAITOHI WATER RACF.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1988, 31 December 1889, Page 2

WAITOHI WATER RACF.

A public meeting was held 5u the Volunteer Hail, Temuka, last Saturday evening for the purpose of considering the question of the Waitobi water-supply and the actions of the Road Board and the J County Counctl. There was bnt a email \ attendance. On the motion of Mr A. M. Clark, seconded by Mr Thos. Palmer, Mr J, Fraser took the chair, and explained the object of the- meeting. He said he had been asked to take the chair. He was sorry there was not a larger attendance, as there were always two sides to any political question, and it was well that both sides should be heard. He was net interested in the Waitobi water-race but was interested in other Road Board matters. The promoters of the waterrace were conspicuous by their absence, and he woild only call on Mr Nicholson to give bis views on the question, as he was the convener or the meeting. Mr Nicholson said the meeting was called to condemn the water-race, as they did not want to be saddled with a rate from which they would derive no benefit. Anyone on the Waitobi could easily gat water by means ef dams at much less money than the water-race would-cost them. He thought it was very ridiculous for the County Council to think of compelling them to submit to it after they bad voted against it, and this meeting was called to protest against them wasting the ratepayers’ money in that way. The council ought to be written to to stay their hand, and prevent them from spending money in that way. With regard to the Road Board, be had nothing t© say against it as it did its work well. He trusted it would continue to do so.

Mr A. M. Clark quite agreed with; Mr Nicholson. It would be a great hardship o« the people to pay for the water when they did not require it. Any of them could get water by means of dams in every paddock at less cost than would amount to one year’s rates. He had tried it, and it proved to be a success. , Some said that dams would be bat > his stock, which drank dam water, was the ~ best going into the market. The plans and specifications ef the proposed scheme

were made out three years ago, and il was possible great changes had taken place since, and that it would coat a great deal more than the estimate. They had the experience of the Orari people before them, where £6OO had been spent on law on account of mistaken engineering, and they Must be careful lest their scheme was aot any more correctly estimated. He would also point out another danger. The headworks would be subject to floods, and might be swept away, in the event of which the council could raise a loan to repair it without consulting the ratepayers, and make the ratepayers pay for it. He read clause 274 of the Counties Act, 1888, to prove this, and went on to say that from this point of view it was a serious matter, as they did not know what it might end in if once they gave the council power. All he would say was • that ho would do all in h?a power to stop U. Last time his five votes were informal, but they would not be next time; so they would have five votes more. He hod no fault to find with the Hoad Board, only that they did not spend enough money on roads in bis district.

Mr Harry Draw mounted the platform, and, in a confidential sort of way, pro* needed to tell the chairman that thore was no fear of the headworks being swept away. He was gomg to give a description of the haadworks, whan Mr Pa'mor asked, What are you I Mr Drew llama working man. Mr Palmer: Are you a contractor ? Mr Drew : No; I only worked for the contractor. I worked for Fletcher. , 1 worked on all of them. (Laughter.) Mr Palmer : What do yon know about them ? Mr Drew : I know every one of them. Mr Claik said they would be swept away, and I say they would not. Did you ever aee a beadwork, Mr Clark? (Great laughter,) Mr Clark ; I did. Mr Drew ; Where ! Mr Clark : Many a place. Mr Drew: I don’t think you did. I worked on every one of them, and 1 know all about them. Mr Palmer: Do you know anything about the Waitobi headworns? Mr Drew ; No, but I-*— Mr Palmer : Then what are yon talking about? (Laughter, amidst which Mr Drew disappeared from the stage.) Mr Palmer went on to say: He is one of those gentlemen who wants to make as much as be caa out of them.

Mr Andrews said he quite endorsed what Messrs Nicholson and Clark had said, as he did not believe in being saddled with a rate for wha f he did not want. He had water already, and anyone could get it for a few days’ work. He objected to such barefaced lies going about as that it would cost only 4i per acre. He felt satisfied that it would cost 9J per acre at least, and a competent judge had assured him it would. He would do hifl best against it.

Mr Badham said it all looked very much like a siorm in a teapot. There was no one of the opposition preaect, and he would take the opposite side. (Laughter and applause.) He bad not the book like Mr Clark, but he believed three-fifths of the ratepayers would have to vote for it before it could be carried, so they would

r <■ : i have to get a ,ieil majority to carry it He did hot know anything about the Waitohi water-race, but he had a little to do with another watar-race, and they had saddled (he whole county with a part of the cost*. He was glad they had saddled them with it, because it may go to teach them a lesson. It may teach them not to put Tom, Dick, and Harry into the council, but to put in straightforward men. Mr Palmer : We have not get them. Mr Badbam: If we can’t get two straightforward men in the county it is time we were all poll-axed. (Great laughter.) Mr Palmer : They are not there. Mr Badbam ; Mr Palmer is castioer a slur on ua all. Surely we can get two straightforward men ! Mr Palmer: I say we can’t name them. Mr Badbam : Mr Palmer for one. Mr Palmer; 1 beg to differ from you. A Voice :.Mr Badbam is one. Mr Badbam : No. (Laughter.) However, they bad taught the ratepayers a lesson, and he hoped they would profit by it, and put right sort of men in, who would employ the right sort of engineers, Mr Scannell said he objected to the engineers being blamed. Why did he not blame the solicitor ( Mr Badbam said that with regard to tbe solicitor, he had a good thing on. The lawyers got £6OO and the engineers £4OO, and the whole county would have to pay. Mr Palmer : Suppose we refuse ? Mr Badbam ; Then you would have to go to law. Mr Palmer being worth plucking, the lawyers would go to law for him at once. He would like to have Mr Palmer.to pluck. He would make Mr Clark pay his share of tbe rates. (Laughter.) Rut the engineers had learned a lesson, and it was more likely they would now overestimate than underestimate a job. Mr Clark moved—“ That this meeting is unanimous in using every endeavor to prevent waterrraces being constructed in the Waitohi district.” : Mr Palmer seconded the motion, and the .chairman was about to it when Mr Badbam rose, and, waving his right arm in the air, called on them to wait a minute. He objected to any one-sided affair, and would take tbe part of those who were absent. (Applause.) Mr A. M, Clark objected to Vtr Badbam speaking, as he was not a ratepayer ia tbe Waitohi race district. Mr Badbam insisted he was a oonnty ratepayer, and called upon the chairman to read tbe advertisement. Tbe chairman said be had not got It, but Mr Leach banded him the paper, and he read it. Mrßsdham said all were invited according to tbe advertisement, and an animated argument ensued as to whether Mr Badbam was entitled to speak, but the chairman ruled that he was not and declared the motion carried. 1 Mr D. Leach mounted the platform, and protested against the motion being declared carried without being put to the meeting. He was laying down the law for the chairman when he was caught by the coat-tails and pulled off, but he immediately went on again. The chairman then left the chair, and the meeting terminated.