Borough Council.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 189, 15 August 1901, Page 3

Borough Council.

A special meeting of the above was held last evening, to consider the Engineers’ report on a water supply for Waimate. There were presen Worship the Mayor (Mr John Manchester) In the chair, and Messrs <3Oll man, Ink ster, Cameron, Nicol, Jones and Bitchener. Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Barclay and Sinclair. The minutes of last ordinary meeting Were toad and 'confirmed. Sis Worship regretted they had not a full €btmdilv for the subject was a Very important one and required all their attention. It was decided to. go m with the meeting*

The Chairman said the state'. ments in the briet report were 3 very clean, but the estimate was i larger than he expected, and •from his experience of estimates in general he found the cost of work exceeded them greatly, so , that this £9300 work might cost £12,00«\ There was no provision for compensation of : water and land rights, reservoir ground and taking pipes through private ground and legal expenses, and these would easily reach the total he gave. In the present , state of the money market, he did not think they could get the money, with a sinking fund, at less than 5 per cent. Main ten* ance would cost at least £2OO per year, or a total of £BOO, Or. Nicol was very much disappointed with the report. Nothing was given to check the estimates. Even the size of the : earthenware pipes from the source was not specified. Cr. Jones said Mr Dobson was not- so ranch out after all, when they compared the two reports. Cr. Inkster did not feel in a position to Criticise the report. They must be guided by the engineer entirely, and he said everything was fully allowed for. Cr. Coitman agreed with the previous speaker, that if they had confidence in Mr Murchant so far as to pay him thirty guineas fora report they should act up to bis advice. He thought the public wanted some voice on the subject and he thought they should have, a public meeting, when Mr Marchant would be present and answer any question. Then, if desired, they could go further and take a poll. If the ratepayers wanted water-, with their eyes fully opened, let them have it. He must say that some of Mr* Marchant’s work had been completed below his estimate. Cr. Nicol said in talking of the' cost they bad omitted to count! the income which Would accrue. The 10-horse motor spoken of would bring in £IOO per year, and his firm would pay a eood deal for extra water, as would others. Cr. Coitman said a considerable income might be derived from selling the water to people outside the borough. Cr. Coitman moved, “That a meeting c£ ratepayers be convened to consider the report on the water scheme brought down by Messrs Measou and Marchant.” Cr. Inkster, in seconding the motion, thought it a step in the right direction. About 70 ratepayers had asked that the matter be gone into, and they should have an opportunity to discuss it. He thought before this meeting all information should begathered as to how it would affect the ratepayers, so that there would be no cause for complaint afterwards if anyting • went wrong. They should also ascertain their borrowing power. Cr. Jones believed the estimate would be too low. There were always unaccounted items. They should be very careful about any steps they took. must soon increase the rate in any case, and with water rates in > addition they would be fairly heavy. Or* Cameron was not very anxious for a water supply, but if the ratepayers wanted it, let l them have it. 1 Cr. Bitchener said this was a i very important question which had been cropping up for years, 1 and the onus of action should be thrown on the ratepayers. In reply to Cr. Jones the mover thought Cr. Jones’ remarks would have been in splendid time before they engaged an engineer. It was ! not fair criticism now. His 1 motion was not <ft • recommend- ! ing the ratepayers to adopt the 1 scheme; far from it, but in V deference to the petition they ’ should put it to the ratepayers. 1 The motion was then put and 1 carried unanimously. It was decided to hold the meeting after the Mayor returned from Wellington, where he goes in a fortnight in connection with r the Tiiuaru Harbour Board Em- \ powering Bill.