The Waipa Post. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1911. WATER.

Waipa Post, Volume I, Issue 47, 26 September 1911, Page 2

The Waipa Post. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1911. WATER.

WHERE are we, and what in the main is our mind as to a water supply ? To us it seems Te Awamutu is just where every othe'r village is when an important question is under consideration. Everybody is interested, and more or less anxious up to a certain point, but only up to a certain point. To carry ratepayers and residents generally, past that point is only possible by energy, enthusiasm and determination, and the date of the installation of a water supply depends solely upon the quality and quantity of those necessary business virtues. The recent public meeting favoured a gravitation scheme, and the Town Board is proceeding in accordance with the recommendation of that meeting of ratepayers and residents. It, however, is becoming well-known that many ratepayers who were either absent from or silent at that public meeting, are now, owing to its smaller cost, favouring the pumping scheme, and have openly expressed themselves as preferring to he without any water supply rather . than support the more costly gravitation scheme. If that is sejf would it not be better that the. matter be publicly not privately venilated and discussed/? Should not the supporters of the pumping scheme approach the Town Board with a request for an opportunity to again place their case belpre/'the ratepayers. As things stand? at present, according to the mini in the street, the majority in 1 value as against the numerical] majority will kill a gravitation proposal at the poll. This wod ' a dire misfortune, not omy ise it will stay the progress of o'ur town, but we would be cutting off our nose to spite our face, *for are we not all agreed that a water supply, either by pumping or)gravitation is absolutely necessity. Under those circumstances then, it would appear to be suicidal io take a poll before the malter is more fully discussed, anti the minority —either pumpeus or gravitationists —- loyally throw in their lot with the majority and work to secure what they', admit is an absolute necessity, regardless of the system. We aW su tisfied that the advocates of fount ping are actuated by the best of motives, and are desirous only of seeing the town well and economics uy,

served, but in the face of the expression of opinion at the public meeting favouring gravitation, and the Town Board’s acceptance of that recommendation, and their subsequent action, we consider that those who favour pumping should take steps as already pointed out, to have the matter publicly ventilated and discussed. If they fail to do this, then it is only right that they should throw in their lot with those favouring a gravitation scheme and support the Town Board’s loan proposals. We, like every resident, are out for efficiency and economy. Let all the talking be done openly, so that we to some extent may know where we are before saddling ourselves with the expenses of a poll.