THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 1879.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3187, 7 May 1879, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 1879.

It will be seen from our report of the Water Supply meeting last night that there is a prospect of the vexed question of the water supply—the liquidation of its liabilities and its management—being finally settled. We refer, of course, to the suggestion thrown out by Mr Brodie, in reply to a question from the Mayor, that the Borough should acquire not only the County's interest in the domestic supply, but also purchase the large race. We have good reason to believe that this suggestion was not merely made by the County Chairman on the spur of the moment, being aware that several members of the County Council have been favourably disposed to a similar scheme for some time past. Looking at the matter from a common sense point of view, it appears to us that it is very desirable that the Borough Bhould acquire the large race, as at the present all the water therefrom is used within the limits of the Municipality, while the Domestic Supply is now barely able to supply water for domestic purposes alone. If this is the case now, what would it be with an increased population. The large supply is everything to the Borough, while besides the mere derivation of a revenue from it, very few County residents obtain any benefit from the possession of the race, and the few who are benefited reside in the ridings which are really suburbs of the town, and must eventually be incorporated in it. The interest of the County in the race is therefore the obtaining of revenue therefrom, while of course they run the risk of loss. In this position, there arises to them the question, " Might not a good round sum in the County coffers to carry on road works and promote settlement be of more real benefit to the ratepayers than the somewhat uncertain revenue from the water race." This is doubtless the stand point from which the County Council takes a view of the situation, and without doubt it is a sensible one. Having dealt with the reasons for the transfer, the question of how it is to be done next arises. The race cost the Government £70,000 or £80,000, but we do not for one moment suppose that the County will want anything like that for it. The Borough Council has power under the Municipal Corporations Act to issue debentures for such an object, that is to say, if a majority of the ratepayers taken at a plebiscite are favorable to the scheme. In obtaining the sole control of the water supply, or rather supplies, the interests of the County residents using the water

might be conserved by a clause in the■* deedL of transfer. We understand that the whole matter will be considered by the Borough? Council shortly, and there is every reason to believe the members will be disposed to favorably consider the proposal.