SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874] FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1894. THE DEVONPORT WATER SUPPLY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4896, 7 December 1894, Page 2

SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874] FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1894. THE DEVONPORT WATER SUPPLY.

The little borough of Devonport, near Auckland, has recently carried to a successful issue a Water Supply project, awl it is of some interest to learn the actual result of this enterprise. In these matters a few well authenticated facts are more conclusive than many arguments, and we have taken some trouble to ascertain from official sources all information about this particular undertaking. A well-informed resident in that Borough writes to us as follows " Devonport was very dull for several years, bill, sine, the water supply, is going ahead fast. Eoimes are ijoiwj up all round, and property generally has considerably increased in value." We would like tlio people of Masterton to bear in mind these words. They simply confirm all that we have said for some years past as to the benefit which must accrue to any borough from an efficient water supp]y-

We also learn from the same correspondent that a reduction in iiro insurance premiums has followed on the water works. " Water works" have brought down insurance premiums in Devonport by nearly one half, and if tlioy had a similar effect in Masterton, they would, we think, save householders at least one thousand pounds per annum.

The Devonport water is supplied from a lake, three and three quarter miles in distance from tlio borough, and the scheme is a pumping one. It is obvious tliat if a pumping scLeine were adopted, in this town, water would be procurable at a much less distance than at Devonport, aud that consequently a matorial'element in the cost would be eliminated,

The Devonport Water Works Loau is £15,000 at 5| per cent,, with J } per cent, sinking fund, which is estimated to extinguish the debt in fifty years. The works now constructed have cost about£ls,ooo,and from start to finish have been completed by Mr Metcalfo, the engineer, without delay, slip or mistake. There was not a shilling of extras in any 'contract made for tLe work. After the works were finished the Mayor publicly stated that thero hud not been a single blunder from beginning to end. We might add that if desired the services of Mr Metcalfo would Le available for Masterton. At the same time we have always bad implicit confidence in Mr John King who Las already drawn up plans here. Respecting the cost of the Devonport Works the following details 1 may be of interest,'contract No 1. ' pipes, and material £5,810, Contract j No 2, pumps, boilers and machinery, £1,485, Contract No 3, construe* ,

tion, £4,138 5s 6d, The other main items of expenditure wero interest and sinking fund for first year, £9OO. Engineer, £6OO. Land and Buildings, £OB6, and Inspector, £2OO. 1

At the opening ceremony in Aligust last a local fire brigade threw five jets of water ovor the highest buildings in the place, In Masterton our fire brigades are equal to any in the Colony, but they are almost powerless to save any building which once gets alight, With a high 'pressure water supply the chances are always in favour of the brigades, with a low pressure water supply they are against them,, Why should Masterton not have a high pressure supply and be rid of the everlasting dread which exists of disastrous conflagrations. , ■

Speaking after the ; works were opened a leading citizen declared that ho was certain that the water supply would iu future prove a great source of wealth to the Borough. It is worth while contrasting a declaration of this kind from a man who knows what lie is talking about with the gloomy forebodings expressed by some good people in Masterton who do not know what they are talking about. The success at Devonportis attributed to tho farseeing business sagacity and dogged resolution of the Mayor and Councillors. Perhaps Mr Heron and his colleagues will uote this little reference and ponder over it,

But this little Devonport had to fight for years to get its. water supply, There, as here, existed pessimistic ratepayers who would not be convinced, and who fought against it. First of all a proposal was thrown out on the ground that it was premature. Thonan unsuccessful attempt was made in well sinking, Then a £15,000 loau was placed before the burgesses and rejected. The Mayor and Councillors in March last year brought the proposal a second time bofore the burgesses and it was accepted. There is a striking analogy between the history of a water supply in Devonport and in Masterton. There, as here, the burgesses required to be asked a second time.

I The burning question, of course, is the Special Rate, In Devonport it lias been fixed at niuepence in the pound, but it is expected to be reduced within live years to foiirpeuce lialf-penuy in the pound, We do not consider that in Masterton a ninepenny rato would be required as our works ought to be constructed from the Waingawa for twelve thousand pounds or from Lansdowne for half that sum and tho ratepaying area is larger, Possibly a fourpenny or a sixpenny rate would sullice, and if this were reduced within five years to two pence and three pence the town would make a splendid bargain.

We are indebted to the courtesy of the Town Clerk of Devonport for full particulars of the water supply in his borough, and have merely culled from them the more salient points which we thought would interest our Masterton readers. We can, if required, furnish much more detailed information respecting it,

The charges to householders for tho use of water at Devonport arc as follow:—Ten shillings per annum on properties not exceeding £l2 10s on the valuation roll. Five percent, on higher valuations up to £loo,and four per cent, above that limit. One half of these rates is charged to nonconsuniers situate within one hundred yards from themains,Manufacturers and others by meter Is per 1000 gallons, Gardens 20s per annum. But those rates are in the main based on the limits prescribed in the Municipal Act, aud are commontoall towns enjoying a water supply.

Webelieve iuMrKing'sWaiugawa scheme, but if a cheaper project were demanded it is obvious to us by the light of theDevonport experiences that it could be obtained from Lansdowne. The resevoir there could be fed from the Ruamahunga, and the water pumped up to the top of the hill behind it, This would give all the pressure that could be desired. Such a scheme ought to cost but littlemore than five thousand pounds and would mean a merely nominal rate for a town the size of Masterton. '