MASTERTON'S WATER SUPPLY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3005, 30 September 1908, Page 5

MASTERTON'S WATER SUPPLY.

DISCUSSION AT THE BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETING.

ARE "EXTRAORDINARY" SUPPLIES JUSTIFIED?

A rather interesting discussion occurred at the meeting of the Borough Council, laxt evening, regarding the efficiency of the Borough water supply. The Works Committee at last meeting recommended the granting of a IJ-inch supply pipe to Mr M. Caselberg, subject to his water being measured and paid for by meter. By permission of the Council Cr ~A. Haughey was permitted to move the following motion without the requisite two days' notice:—"That an embargo for one calendar month be placed on the business of the Works Committee of the 22nd of September, 1908, with reference to granting 1£ inch water supply to Mr M. Caselberg to give other ratepayers a chance to apply for the same privilege." Cr Haughey stated that the Council was now broughtjface to face with a difficulty which had been looming up for months past. He referred to the inadequacy of the water supply. He said thst two water supply improvement schemes were put before ;he Council by an eminent authority, ihe first of which was adopted. It was now plain that the supply from :hat . scheme was not going to be sufficient for the purposes of the :own. The other scheme was termed i luxury, and it was now a question )f whether the public should not inlulge in the luxury of a garden, or in aeroplane or anything else if they 10 desired, and cared to pay for it. The present water supply was a purey domestic 'one, and an irrigation iupply could not be gone in for with mt an extensive increase in the uains. Had Mr Laing-Meason's mt difficulty would not have arisen. There was every indication of a»ither dry summer, and people would )e crying out for water. It would be 'ery hard if those who had gone in or beautiful gardens were to see hem again this summer as withired as they were last season. An inlimited supply of water could not >e given to residents as things vere now, no matter how anxious >eoph were to. pay for it. Cr laughey averred that he did not vish it to be understood that he was irejudiced against giving ratepayers ;s much water at present as they deired, but he wished to impress on hem that such could not be done, [he Council could at the least put the natter'before the ratepayers, and eave the responsibility with them. 3r Haughey considered he was doing lis duty in bringing the matter beore the Council and the public, and hought he at least would be absolved rom any responsibility in the matter ly doing so. Cr Morris supported the motion, tating that he was always against [ranting extraordinary supplies of" vater under present conditions. A reater supply was necesaary for fire lurposes, and residents could not get sufficient supply for, all. purposes mtil the mains to the town were in rcased In size. The insurance repesentatives on the Masterton Fire Juard had even noticed that the upply was not sufficient for fire Then again it was not deiiable to have a repetition of what ccurred last year, when ratepayers md to resort to almost dishonest tieans to,water their gardens. The Council were dishonest to the ratelayers in allowing the present state f affairs to continue. Cr Ewington said it would be lecessary to contradict some of the emarks by the previous peakers. It was quite wrong to .ccuse the Council of dishonesty. lir Laing-Meason had described No. ! scheme as a luxury and the peaker said no doubt it was. It was learly understood at the last meeting hst when Mr Caselberg was granted lis supply other ratepayers would eceive the same privilege. The Council had reserved the right to cut ff this extraordinary supply at any ime circumstances demanded it. As d the Fire Board objections, they veve made last year before the pres>nt improvements had been made at he headworks. The granting of the upply to Mr Caselberg was not going o affect the fire supply. The Council •ould rest assured of that. Cr Elliott said that he thought that he best way to meet the case was to ompel all people who used sprinklers o have a-meter, or else comply with he regulations and hokTthe nozzle in heir hands. Cr Prentice said it did not appear o him very wrong to cut off Iwo -inch supplies and give a one ind a-half inch one. The Mayor said his opinion was that ;he best safeguard the Council could lave was to do as in Mr Caselberg's sase, and put a meter in for such mpplies. It would be very unlikely ;hat any water would be wasted by jersons whose supplies were reguated by meter. His Worship thought i wise step had been taken and Cr tlaughey's motion seemed unnecessary. Cr Haughey, in reply, said that he vas not opposed to the Council's notion passed at the Works Commit;oe meeting regarding Mr Caselberg, out what he wished to make quite ilear was that there would not be jnough water +o go round if the ratepayers he anticipated would applj 'or extraordinary services did so. ! The motion was put and declared ost on the voices.