Water Supply Committee.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2850, 3 April 1878, Page 2

Water Supply Committee.

The usual monthly meeting of this committee was held at the Borough Council Chamber! last evening. Present -His Worship the Mayor (in the chair), Messrs Brodie, Gibbons, Hume, Price and McGowan.

APOLOGY.

An apology for absence was received from Mr Ehrenfried.

MINUTKS. The minutes of the previous were read orer and confirmed. "

WATSB SUPPLY OF GOODS WHABF.

A letter was received from the Secretary of the Harbor Board, asking that a 4-inch pipe be laid down the wharf for the accommodation of the shipping. A similar application from the agent for the Enterprise, Tongariro. and Durham, suggesting that the 2-inch pipe laid half way down the wharf be extended the whole length, was also received; Beferired to Works Committee. !

BATT BTBBET.

A letter was read from J. Ferguson, asking that 150 feet of inch pipe be laid down io his premises. At present he got his water from Osborne's connection, and the supply was quite inadequate!' The Turncock said that it would cost about £2103. Referred to Works Committee with power to act.

XABT eiBBET.

A letter was read from the manager of the Gas Works, asking for about 120 feet of 1| inch pipe to be laid down Mary street for j the supply of the works. It would coot about £5. Eefeired to Works Committee with power to act. ■

THE 9-IHCH MAINfI.

A letter was read fi-om the County Council granting permission to the Committee to connect the 9-inch mains with the County supply in case of fire only, and subject to the control of the County Chairman. BeceiTed. ;

*BOFOSED KBW "WCBM.

i The Secretary read the following memo, which had 'been received from the Turncock:—Waiotahi: Turncock advises to procure a ram to be worked by the creek water to pump up the town supply water to a tank piacd near the school* house; probable cost £60, Turncock reports that those paying for water in ; Willoughby street and upper part of Mackay street cannot get a supply, the sub-main being lo small and is nearly choked. It wants a two-inch sub-main; probable,cost £20. That in the. Bird-in-Hand Hill there are orer 20 people and i three batteries paying water rate but cennot get a supply, the pipe being so small and choked. It requires a three-inch pipe ; probable cost £60. The Turncock asks authority to lay down the nine-inch extension, the pipes for which are now on the ground at Parawai; probable cost £250. This includes the removal of the old four-inch pipe and making prevent connection/ The Turncock also reports that he^has only just sufficient water to supply the township; if the present dry season continues much longer, he asks .permission to allow the supply to remain in the mains for 12 hours orly each day. Mr Brodie said he had received;* memorial from various residents asking that the tap at the corner of Eolleston and Sealey streets be re-erected. The want of water was most severely felt in that locality, and they had neither the money to lay down pipes to supply that portion of the Karaka, nor was there sufficient water. ' The Chairman said a plan had often suggested itself to him, which he thought would work admirably; Those wishing to use the water might pay 10s per annum and hare a key issued to them, so that none but those who paid for it could use the water. . . - After some further discussion it was decided to place the standpipe at the place required. With reference to the first recommendation of the Turncock, Mr Brodie said the supply of the Waiotabi Creek was entirely gone, and there was hardly any rain water. During the past fortnight he had taken it upon himself to send up a 400 gallon tank full of water every afternoon for the supply of the inhabitants. The work would not cost much, and enough water could be sent up to the tank, which would be removed from the present position to near the school, by a force pump during the night that would supply the inhabitants for a day. The matter should be done at once. Mr McGowah said he thought that the work should be reported on to the^Committ^e. Other portions of the district were equally badly off. „ . „ Mr Brodie said that an epidemic would be breaking out if they had not sufficient water. The water *as very much needed, and the inhabitants were willing to pay for it if they got it laid on. Mr Gibbons moved that the matter be referred to Works Committee with power to act.

Mr Brodie seconded. An amendment proposed by Mr Hume to the effect that it be referred to the Works Committee to report on was not seconded, and the motion was carried. Mr Hume then moved that all the other matters recommended in the memo, be referred to Works Committe with power to act. Carried.

OTBHCHAHGE.

A letter was received from the Golden Crown tributers, staling that as they had only used the water for the supply of their boiler for 8 hours per day L? 6 weeks, they considered the chcrgs of £6 5s too high. The Secretary w s instructed to see them end come to an r:'*angement.

COMPLAINT.

The Secretary reported that complaints had frequently been made by carters and otherß using the trough near Orme's butcher's shop, that Orme was in the habit of dipping a greasy buckei in the trough, which prevented the'horses from drinking the water. He had been remonstrated with and only used bad language. He (Mr Dean) bad sent Mason dowu to try and catch him, but had not been successful. Complaints had also been made of a number of Mr Dalziel's tenants using Mr

Dutzict's water. Both tLesc matters were referred to Works Committee.

THK 9UBVBTOB8 1 BBJOBT.

The report prepared by Messrs Aitken (County Surveyor) and McFarland (Borouglt Surveyor) was read. Gentleman,—ln iccordunee with your instructions, wo have examined the Hape, Waikiekie, andJMangakirikiri Creeks, with v view «if reporlin/ upon (lie best means of increasing the domestic water supply, for the Thames c'jatrict—The Hape : From gauging* made, on the llih of January lust, of the Hape Urprlt, lit. aifTil of about 500 feot above, Shortlnml, wo fin ! t-lio supply of water to bo 147 996 guPons in 21 honn>, a-hie a would bo un iiuiplo supply for tlio higlwr portions of the district. The probablo cost of construe: <ri{> « reservoir and laying a line of iri-n pps of 6-inch bore, from the reservoir to Itollutton street, would be about J'3ooo. We wouhJ not, however, recommend this sis a source of supply, as it would be inconvenient and expensive in management to huve two reseivoir* and water services. The gathering ground for (his supp'y, bring in (he auriferous portion of the golduVld, would b« liable at any time to mining oi'P'alions being carried on within its wa' r-»!i'd, which wou'd render the water unfit, for domestic purposes. There are also b.. cries, ie, n-ected on the lower part of the creek, to which water rights are at taobed, and there it scarcely a doubt but their summer supply would be reduced ' . hu injurious extent if such a large portion of (he water in the creek was taken for domeitie purposes. —The Waikiekie : We | would recommend (hat a new reservoir be con* r Miclcd at the Waik'ekie Greek • few chains a'jove the tipper end of flume wbich supplies the priseut reservoir, and at 50 or 60 feet highrr levels, i«ml the U-inch mains carried up from t!ic present reservoir to the new on*. This increase of head would give a sufficient pressure 'or the supply of the higher portions of lite district. Should it be found that upon survey being made it would not be advisable to make one reservoir sufficient!* large a second could be constructed higher up, to be used for storage only. We would also recommend that surveys ot these proposed works be made at once, and Itmt Iho freehold of at least 190 acres at prcpor 1 rese.voir be purchased, and action trten to secure the right to the whole watershed.—The Maugal.irikiri: We would recommend also that should the proposed worH at the Waikiek'e not secure-a full rid ample supply of water for the requirements of the disti'et, a supplementary suoply be brought,,to the reservoir from Man-skiriki i. Creek, where the^e. is an abi. idt >it supply of good water at the required level. Th {« water can be either brought in a flume or pipes, at may be found advisable when a survey is made. Without actual surveys we ennnot with an- decree of accuracy estimate the probttble cost of these works, but we consider that the cost of constructing one large reservoir, extending the 9-inch mains to same, and the purchase of say 109 acres of land, would not exceed £3010.—We have, Ac,Roet. McFahUIKS, Borough Engineer; Aux. Aitkbh, County Surveyor, Thames, March 8, 1878.

The report was received and ordered to lie on the table till next meeting. - Mr Hume said that .*s the motion he bad given at last meeting'hinged on the report, he would ask leave to postpone it This wts agreed to. ' '.

BATIKG POWJBS.

Mr Hume then moved the motion Mr Bead had given notice of,vii., " Th»t rating powers be obt .ined by this committee, and for that purpose that the draft of the necessary bill giving the power to the committee be prepared." He said that the finances would bare la be taken firmlj in hand if the business of the corporation was to be carried on at all.

Mr McGowan seconded. He said there would be no hardships in the rating, as it would fall easily on all. Mr Brodie said he thought that the matter should stand over till next meeting, as their constituents should be consulted. He did not believe in thrusting a rate down the people's throats like thai. He for one would like to consult his constituents. The Chairman and other members spoke of the absolute necessity of rating. Mr E?odie moved as an amendment that the matter stand over tUI next nreting. Seconded by Mr Gibbons. Tiiis was put and lost, and motion carried. A committee consisting of Messrs Brodie, Head, Hume and the Chairman were appoint:d to draw up the <*raft of a bill, and bring it up at the next meeting. Mr Brodie moved—" That all petitions and memorJt for extension of watermains and connections be reported upon by the Works Committee before being submitted to the. corporation for consideration." This was seconded by Mr McGowan, and carried. FINANCIAL. Accounts amounting to £160 were p ssed for payment, subject to the inspection of Finance Committee. This was all the business.