TANKS ABANDONED

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20743, 1 March 1939, Page 5

TANKS ABANDONED

WATER FOR HUNTLY NEW BUPPLY OFFICIALLY OPENED CEREMONY BY HON. R. SEMPLE * (Special Reporter) HUNTLY, Tuesday. The tanks which have provided the Huntlv Borough with water for many years were abandoned to-day, when the town’s new water supply was officially turned on by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, before a crowd of about 1000 people. Prior to the water being turned on a ceremony was held at the Town Hall, among those present being the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. \Y. Lee Martin, and Mr G. A. Barrel!, M.P. for Hamilton. The Mayor, Mr \Y. C. E. George, and members of the Huntlv Borough Council, met the official party on arrival and Mr George presided over the function in the hall. Bouquets were presented to Mrs Semple and to the Mayoress, Mrs \V. C. E. George, by pupils of the Huntly District High School and St. Anthony's Convent School. Progress of Huntly After extending a welcome to the visitors. Mr George stated that the installation of a water supply marked another milestone in the progress of Huntly. The residents of the borough had been looking forward *for many years to the time when they would have an efllcient water supply, and they had also been hoping that they would be able to participate in the new industries which the Government had in mind for the Dominion. The town would be an ideal place for the establishment of some of the industries, and the speaker expressed the view that the industries should be de-centralised as much as possible. In England it had been found that such a course was wiser than grouping them in such a way that they would be vulnerable in the case of attack. The establishment of a water supply for Huntly had entailed a great deal of work, and the townspeople were indebted to the engineers responsible for the job. In conclusion the speaker expressed appreciation to the Government for the subsidy which bad been granted on the understanding that 50 per cent of the labour was from the ranks of the unemployed and that as much New Zealand material as possible was used. Borough Council’s Enterprise The engineer in charge of the pumping and filtration work and a representative of one of the contracting firms, Mr D. B. Mansergh, stressed the importance of that side of the work and congratulated the Huntly Borough Council on the enterprise it had shown in fhe water AfJK’me. All the equipment used wa r of British manufacture and was specially designed to meet the conditions in the Waikato. The speaker also gave a brief outline of the treatment of the water from the time it was taken from the river until it went to the consumers. An old Huntly identity, Mr James Fulton, stated that the installation of a water supply had been one of his life’s dreams. “I have known Mr Semple for many years and I would like to pay a tribute to the work he has done for the Dominion,” said the speaker, ‘‘in the past he has had to go to prison for his principles, and in those days he was called an agitator. To-day he is referred to as a dreamer, but you should remember that the world owes a great deal to its dreamers. He wiTl leave behind a name that anyone else will And hard to live up to.” Mr Semple Eulogised Mr Barrell also congratulated the Huntly Borough Council on having secured a supply of water. The speaker also paid a tribute to the work of Mr Semple and stated that at no other time in the history of New Zealand had the country 'had such a splendid Minister of Public Works as It had to-day. Led by Mr Barrell, the large attendance accorded the Minister musical honours.

The Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, expressed pleasure at the great progress Huntly had made since its constitution as a borough and paid a tribute to the work carried out by Mr George and the councillors. The new water supply would be one of the best investments the town had ever made. In reply to the eulogistic references that had been made to him, Mr Semple stated, in opening his address, that it had always been his aim to do his best for the good of humanity. After expressing his pleasure at being able to visit the mining town, the speaker gave a brief resume of his life since he started work in a New South Wales mine at the age of 9 A years.

Details of Scheme The reservoir at Huntly had a capacity of 150,000 gallons and would provide an ample supply for up to 2000 Huntly residents, said Mr Semple. There would be a daily allowance of 30 gallons per head and the storage capacity provided for two and a-half days’ supply. The up-to-date system of filtration was capable of handling 10,000 gallons per hour. Apart from its great domestic value the new water supply would allow for adequate fire-fighting facilities, the lack of which had been the cause of considerable concern in the past. “I wish to congratulate the engineers responsible for the work and I would also like to stress the importance of the health-protecting appliances. which have been included in the equipment.” said Mr Semple. \N ithout a pure water supply we would be on the road to degeneracy and disease, and in these matters we should try to benefit from the products of the inventive genius of the nation.” Presentation to Visitors At the close of the Minister’s address, Mr George made the presentation to Mr and Mrs Semple, on behalf ol the people of Huntly, of a crystal water set. The supply was officially turned on in the main street by Mr Semple, a j good pressure being obtained through the hose leading about two chains I along the roadway.