THE PROPOSED WATER SUPPLY.

The members of the City Corporation, accompanied by engineers and representatives ofthe Press, made an inspection of the water, shed and tributaries of Silverstream on Saturday last. The object of the inspection was to enable the Council to come to an intelligent decision upon the merits of the proposed scheme of supplying: the city with water from Silverstream, as suggested in the report and plans proposed by Sir W. N. Blair, C.E. No one will doubt that the question of supplying the city adequately with wholesome water is, of all matters within the province of the City.., Corporation, of paramount importance, and recognising this fact the members of the Council determined, by personal inspection, to do their best to ascertain which would be the most advantageous of the schemes submitted to their consideration. All the councillors were expected to visit and inspect for themselves the sources of the proposed supply, but some were unable to do so. The members of the Council who tormad what may be termed the " prospecting party," were Crs Beeves, Fish, Thomson, ±sarr, and Davidson— accompanied by Mr Blair, C.E., Mr Campbell, Mr Mirams (Council's Engineer), Mr- Massey (Town Clerk), and Mr Barr (Mayor of Eo3lyn). The party left the Corporation Offices shortly after 10 o'clock, andj first rode lover Caversham hill and inspected the site of the proposed distributing reservoir, which lies in a gully about half a mile from the mouth of the "Look-out Point" tunnel. The site for the reservoir is 430 feet above sea level, or about 20 feet above the highest street level in Dunedin. From it water can be supplied to any place within the Town-Belt. The level of the race is to be 50 feet above the supply tank, so as to a 1 low for filter beds and the depth of the sfcoreage reservoir, as shown in the Engineer's report now before the Council, and which has already appeared in these columns. The party then proceeded along the ridge road through Mornington, Eoslyn, and Half-way Bush. A short distance through Half-way Bush, at an altitude of 900 feet, Mr''Blair pointed out the course for a. high-level race, from a branch of the Kaikorai Creek, by which an efficient water supply might be obtained for Eoslyn. The course and level of the water« race for the town supply was also shown at several points, and Bhortly after 1 o'clock, a halt ~as made for lunch, and an inspection lof Jolly Creek on Whare Flat, at aboui the ■ level of the proposed race. This creek is one of the tributaries of 3ilvurstream, and alone would, we are informed, supply twice the_ quantity of water at present available for the city. It is a clear stream of mountain water, as pure, to all appearance, as need be desired and pleasant So the taste. Several other tributaries to Silverstream, similar in qualify, were inspected, but the main stream was only seen from a distance, the party not being able to reach its Bource. A. capital view of the whole cf the water-shed or gathering ground was obtained, and its character was ascertained by traversing a good portion of it. The difficulty of scaling the sides of the mountains, and of leading a horse over the boulders which appear everywhere above the surface of the ground, was strong corroborative evidence of the opinion given by Mr Blair in his report that—" Silverstream can ne/er be seriously contaminated by settlement in the water-shed." Unfortunately the party were not able to visit the source of the Water of Leith. The summit of [Swampy Hill was gained, but as a dense fog lay on its northern side, it was considered unsafe to attempt to descend. Several of the horses got in the swamps up to their knees, and Mr Keeves's horse was almost lost. The ground suddenly gave way under the horse, which sunk nearly up to its haunches in the morass, and it was only after a gallant struggle that the animal gained the firm. ground again. Mr Barr acted as pilut, led the way in safety along the ridge, but, after a difficult descent, was unable to find a track through the bush to the Leith valley. The party had again to ascend n, portion of the hill, and on gaining the old Waikouaiti track, followed it over the top of Flagstaff Hill to the Whare Flat road, and thence through Halfway Bush and Koslyn, they returned, arriving iii town at 6.15 p.m. §