Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878] WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1893.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4357, 1 March 1893, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878]

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1893.

Being tub extended tihb of the Wamarapa Daily, with which it is identical

Sop few years ago, Mr John King—an engineer of high reputationkindly furnished tho public of Masterton, through our columns and at our request, with an estimate of tho cost of bringing a high pressure water supply into Masterton from tbo Waing&wa Biver, one which would folly and adequately fulfil all needs for domestic purposes, fireprevontion and irrigation. Aa far as wo remember the estimate ranged from five to six thousand pounds, and the residents on tho Upper Plain, were anxious to tako a share in the project and contribute their quota towards it. Although we strongly urge the Landsdowne proposal as a cheap alternate project, we would like residents in Masterton to also bear in mind that a Buperior supply js obtainable at a reasonable cost. The question is a buriir ing one in a double sense, more especially for the leading occupiers of property in Queen-street. At any moment ono or another of these may lose by one fell swoop a thousand or several thousand pounds, for it is rarely Ibat insurance altogether covers a disastrous fire, At any moment one or more blocks of building may be swept away, and tens of thousands of poundswprth of property cpnsumed, Onr fro brigades, efficient anil en« thusinstio though ihey be, are powerless to avert a calamity of such a character without a high pressure; water supply, Are the Queen>street| residents in earnest in desiring such a supply? For if they are, an expression of their wish would probably be sufficient to'decide the Masterton Borough Conpcjl to undertake it, Even if a supply wore pbtnined on the most costly and complete scale, a water rato following the water pipe and paid by consumers would prove ample to cover interest on loan and working expenses. All the necessary machinery for raising a loan, constructing water works, and collecting a water rate lie ready to the bands of the Borough Council. 'The undertakings one in which it is fairly 'jeasy jtpgu|ge beforehand the exact cjosi, the benefits obtainable 'and "the reveniio which' it sii}' prpdupe. s'o believe that if business men in Queen Street wC!! 1 * work out a debtor and creditor account for themselves In an enterprise of this character they would not hesitate for one. moment to endorse it.