MEETING OF SETTLERS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2029, 5 April 1890, Page 2

MEETING OF SETTLERS.

A meeting of settlers in the Pleasant Valley and Kakahu Flat districts was held at the house of Mr Job Earl on Wednesday evening last for the purpose of discussing the advisability or otherwise of applying to the G-eral-dine County Council to construct a water-race for the district. There was a large attendance, representing a good proportion of those interested. Mr E. Skinner was voted to the chair, and explained the purpose for which the meeting was called, and invited discussion on the subject, The question was then discussed at considerable length. The most important point with many seemed to be the question as to where the boundaries of the water-race district would extend, some of those present stating that they already had plenty of water, and did not wish to be included in the water-race district and thus have to pay the water rates. It was pointed out that the settlers themselves would have the power to define the boundaries of the district, and that some of those who objected to paying for more water were entirely outside of where it was ever contemplated the district should extend to.

A rough idea of the course thought most suitable for the race and the holdings t® be included was placed before the meeting. Mr J. Earl strongly advocated the construction of the race. He pointed out that the ratepayers in the Geraldine Elat water-race district expected to get the water for less than 6d per acre. That amount, he said, might sound large at first, but upon consideration it was not. As a proof of this he shewed that a farmer bolding, say, 400 acres, would have to pay £lO. j Eor this he would get an abundant ] supply of pure, fresh water. Mr Earl went on to point out that £lO was a mere bagatelle compared with the loss a farmer sustained through his stock having insufficient or bad water. pointed out that at present, for instance, no water could he got in the Hae-hae-te-Moaua below the Hilton read crossing for a long distanca down, and the labor involved by having to drive stock there was considerable, and the time could ill be spared by the farmer, especially in the harvest season. Speaking of the disastrous effects of bad water upon stock he pointed out that if sheep, and especially lambs, got bad water they very quick deteriorated one or two shillings per head in value, and at Is per head the loss on 600 sheep would be £3O, a very considerable item. Cattle, too, would lose 10s per head in value in a very short time on bad water, and on, say, 40 head that meant another £2O, while foals that were running with their dams appeared to suffer the worst of all. To dairy produce bad water was disastrous in the extreme, and he attributed a great deal of the badness of the cheese turned out of the dairy factory in times past to the fact of the cows of many of the farmers in that district having to drink stagnant water, which had been lying festering m filthy dams under a broiling sun. Mr Brophy and others present, as practical farmers, endorsed Mr Earl’s statements as to the effects of bad water upon stock. After discussing the matter for some considerable time it was decided that the chairman of rhe meeting should see Mr Moore and ascertain when the council would meet, and also write to the council and endeavor to get their clerk sent out to a meeting to be held on a suitable date to give the settlers all information as to fixing boundaries and everything connected with obtaining the water-race. The date of meeting to be advertised. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meeting.