WATER SUPPLY IN OTAGO.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 776, 14 February 1871, Page 2

WATER SUPPLY IN OTAGO.

A correspondent of the "Otago Daily Times " writing on the subject of water supply to the goldfields quotes the following statistics furnished by the Wardens respecting the existing water-works on the Otago Q-oldfields, which, with the writer's criticisms, we publish for general information :—The European mining population of this Province numbers 4850 ; the number of water-race, 574 ; the heads of water which they carry, 1479; cost of construction, £214,607; their present estimated value, £180,291 ; number of reservoirs, 333 ; cost of construction, £40,238; present value, £34,157. Add the cost of the reservoirs to the cost of the races and it gives £260,845. Their united depreciation in value shows £46,397. It might be asked why such a depreciation if water is so much needed ? I will give one or two causes. Ist. Many of the water-races are brought on to ground of a very poor character, and the miners connot afford to pay a price for water commensurate with its cost. 2nd. The ground which the water commands is rapidly being worked out, and in the course of a few years mauy of the water-races will be useless for mining purposes. It will therefore be seen that that description of property is year by year lessening in value. The above statistics show 1479 heads of water used dailv on the goldfields, or 1,267",077,440 gallons per day of 24 hours. It will be seen that to keep a population of under 4000 employed an outlay of £260,845 had to be incurred. So to double our mining population a like expenditure will be required; and I will assert, without fear of contradiction, that the same body of water could not be supplied to payable ground for anything like that sum. It is a well-known fact that every drop of water worth having, is already secured by the miners ; andi 1 should like to know where the Government is to get water to fill reservoirs, and how the supply is to be kept up ? How many will they require, and what will be their cost, to supply daily the enormous quantity of 1,967,077,440 gallons, which is at the present time consumed by less than 4000 miners? The whole European miners only number 4850, and it must not be supposed that they are all engaged with the water. Many are employed at quartz reefs, dredging, and many other pursuits.