The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 1881.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3890, 17 June 1881, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 1881.

When- will the Borough and County officials le^rn to work harmoniously? We congratulated both Councils upon the occasion of the agreement being entered into re the supply of water, believing that the great bone of contention had been removed. We find, however, that not--withstanding all the consideration that the members of the. Borough Council ■gate to the subject, with the aid of Mr Whitaker, and their own legal adviser, I the Act is not by any means satisfactory, and both Councils insist upon placing different constructions upon its wording. The fact of it is, the Borough is beginning to find j>ut by practical experience, what we pointed out they would do in time —that the County have had the bet t of the bargain—^and if that body insists upon allowing' the Borough only the amount' of water stated in the bond, it will be insufficient to enable the municipality ,to meet all its engagements in the matter of water for motive power. The question in dispute between the Councils, or rather' we shoald say between the Clerks,, is .where! the v connection is to be made,'and* where tne meter is'-to be placed. This appears only a; small matter, but it covers the whole question, for if the connection is made in Parawai, Where the races crpss.tbe Borough supply will uot be much , benefited,; for its: race is a great many feet higher than the County race, and water will .not flow uphill. The County Clerk .depends upon the second ( clause ' of the Act, which states that the supply shall be measured by a meter to be placed in such a position as the County shall fix and determine. The Town Clerk, it would appear, does not wantrrthe :meter at all, but if he must accept;it, wants it at the corner of Albert street, and questions^ the County's right to make any -other connection. He sees .that the County would likely insist upon .closing 1 up the connection at the Star .comer v,.it another were made at Parawai. ,^Tho fact of the matter. is the •hotovi^a wauts matters to go on as at present, and the County are determined to fulfil the'conditions of the Act and no mqre.'rtlf only the 30 gallons per head;of the population of the -Borough, provided for in the Act, is given, the Borough will have to stop supplying water for motive power, for any two engines would require to drive them much more than the 146,520 gals, the Borough would then receive daily vfrom the, County supply* .This will bring the Councillors to see how foolish they were to annul the agreement made by a former mayor with the County, and which allowed them an unlimited supply for domestic and fire purposes, instead of only 30 gallons a day per head of the population for all. purposes. Should la fire occur to-morrow, although we will Dot say the County would refuse water, yet the Borough,might be called upon to pay for the water so used. The greed of the Borough in trying 1 to compete With the County in the matter of granting water for motives power, instead of confining itself to iupplyiDg the inhabitants With an unlimited quantity of water for domestic purposes, and for the preserva tion of their dwellings in case of fire, has led to all this trouble over the subject between the two bodies. The County are sure to get the upper hand, and the Borough for its foolish bargain, will either hftve to make the ..best it can of its 30 gallons ah>#4 per, day,,or arrange with the County for aa "extra supply for fire purposes or to enable it to fulfil ita engagements with the proprietors 'of water engines.