The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Rsurrexi. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1883.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4396, 5 February 1883, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Rsurrexi. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1883.

Abottt a fortnight ago we drew attention to the necessity of augmenting the water supply to the Borough and County, pointing out the loss sustained by the stoppage of the batteries and other imporport works, and the liability of the inhabitants being cut short in their allowance for domestic purposes. We then referred biiefly to a proposal which had been made to bring in a race from the Puru Creek, and we gave a few figures shewing what force could be derived from that source, and we now intend to get as near—as the information to hand will permit—to the coat and reproductiveness of the scheme referred to. The length of the race required will be about sis miles, through somewhat rough country, but none presenting insuperable engineering difficulties. It would be carried through in the solid wherever practicable, and very little flaming would be required, there being only one viaduct of any magnitude to be constructed. The timber for flaming purposes grows all along the proposed line* and could be used at a very small outlay. An estimate in detail of the cost has not been prepared, but it has been given roughly at about £50,000. This expenditure, it is expected, would, at a fall of 150 feet, give a quantity of 20 heads, equal to 220 h.p. The work would take about two years to carry out, and upon its completion the Borough and County would have the magnificent supply of 47 heads, equal to 517 h.p. At the present time the County charge at ' the rate of £3 10s per head, and at this low rate the new work alone would produce a sum equal to £3610 per anuum; deducting £500 per year as a fair estimate of the cost of the maintenance, would leave £3140, or a sum of over 6 per cent, of annual clear profit, which would be a handsome return on the proposed outlay, as well as the means of rendering highly productive the industries of the place. The large cost of the present race may bo referred to as tending to raise the estimate of the cost of the proposed work as given above, but when it is remembered that a sum stated to be over £10,000 was expended in three ill-arranged surveys and that ene thousand tons of ironwork, which cost the sum of £22,500, was ordered for it, and only 450 tons put into the work, the balance being sold at £5 per ton; it will be seen that there was great bungling and waste in the survey and construction of it. There is no chance of the supply from the Puru stream being shortened by forest denudation on its banks, as the timber there is inacoeasible. That required for the purpose of the race could be easily obtained, but there are no means of removing it from the ground adjacent to it. . Oue method of obtaining the money to carry out the work is that the Government be asked to pay a subsidy of £2 for £1 to be found by the local bodies. This work is

essentially a public one, and should claim the attention of the Minister for that department. Were we to have the work granted to us as is suggested, it would be a great boon to the whole of the district, and would not only develop our mines, but encourage manufactures in our midst. Some mention has been made of a scheme of bringing in the Tararu Creek, but some water-rights held by owners residing on its banks would costtoo much to acquire.