THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1908. LANSDOWNE WATER SUPPLY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 2993, 18 September 1908, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1908. LANSDOWNE WATER SUPPLY.

The mists surrounding the above question were cleared away yesterday in two of the most important respects. Firstly, Mr Laing-Measuii stated conclusively that the main race was not to be the Waipipi Creek, and, secondly, he showed that so far as the water from the Lansdowne dam is concerned, it is only to be used for generating power for the rams, which will pump the water into a small distributing reservoir on the top of the Lansdowne hill. The supporters of the scheme stated that this was to be the case at the recent deputational visit to the County Council, but as there was nothing official to show that the 1905 scheme was so radically amended the Health Department, acting on the assumption that the Waipipi was to be used as the main spring of the whole scheme rightly condemned it wholly. The only question which the Health

Department has_ now to answer ia i y/bether the race will be so contaminated by stock in. its course along the Opaki plain, that even after being filtered before its final entry into its own reservoir it _ will be unfit for human consumption. Mr Lang-Mea-son spoke with strong assurance when he contended that the water would be excellent for all domestic purposes jn entering the reticulation reservoir, and even went so far as to say that the scheme as a water supply one was as good in th&t vital respect as any he had yet been engaged on. The health authorities* will no doubt find little difficulty in coming to a conclusion after tbe exhaustive explanation supplied by the consulting engineer, and a personal inspection by the District Health Officer. The tour made yesterday elicited the fact that three settlers over whose land the main race will run, for considerably over a mile—probably two mile 3 —intend claiming the fullest compensation for the right of way for the scheme over their land. A sum of £SO has been set down to meet claims for" compensation, and it is a question whether this comparatively small sum will be sufficient for the purpose. Mr Laing-Meason said he believed , the two schemes could be carried out fully with the money authorised to be raised, and he should be the most competent person ,to express an opinion on this point. As matters now stand it only remains for the Health Department to. make its requirements known to the promoters of the scheme and for the latter to agree to carry out the same for the work to proceed. All the preliminary details have been carried out, even down to the County Council's authorising the taking up of the loan money so soon as the Health Department agrees to the scheme submitted. It certainly is desirable that no further delays should occur in the carrying out of the scheme, if it is considered satisfactory by the Health Department.