THE BLENHEIM SCHEME

REPORT FROM THE ENGINEER

The report prepared by Mr John bturroek, resident constructional engineer, on the various alternative Pumping schemes for Blenheim's water-supply and drainage system— which report was published in these roiumns recently—was considered by ™« Borough Council last night. Iho Mayor pointed ' out that the report, presented a new feature namely, the suggestion to draw the supply from Batty's Spring at ftpringiaiids, using wells, water tower an<l pumps there, and compressors at the uas Works. The engineer recommended this idea in preference to poring for an artesian supply in other '* n The cost was estimated st £v 2.000 as against £70,000 for the other artesian pumping systems. The JVlavor went on to express the opinion If at, *he. Batty's Creek proposal should be included m the referendum >o be submitted to tho ratepayers. later on. It was an important suggestion, and would probably be accepted by a large number of ratepayers.

A lengthy discussion ensued, in wh>eh some Councillors opposed the idea of placing a third separate issue °» ™c referendum paper. The Council had already decided upon two straicht-out issues—the pumping principle or the Waihopai gravitation system—and an addition might tend to confuse the question and "give an advantage, to the minority at the expense of the majority. They preferred to see. the pumping, scheme alternative widened out so as to cover tho Patty's Creek suggestion. If the ratepayers selected this alternative in ita general sense, the Council could then go to Batty's. Creek or else--vyfiere. as it thought best. _Tne Mayor questioned whether Batty's Creek came within the scope of the artesian pumping issue, and whether it could b« legally made part .and parcel of it at this stags?, of the formalities. For one thing, there was a diffor*n&? of £2000 "in the estimates of ."ost.

Councillor Carr said he saw no reason why more than two distinct schemes should not be put before tho ratepayers. He thought the ratepayers should also be given the oppor-, ijGttty of adopting or rejecting tfte Taylor project. ' " .tia desultory discussion, several ©ftuicillors expressed tho opinion that Wrttv's Creek was undoubtedly the nraW; reliable source of supply so fax as the pumping principle was concorned.

Ornncillor Parker said that ho believed the Batty's Creek scheme was the best one, though the depletion of the water in that creek would not stut Km as a private individual, and he,might have to proceed against the Ooußcil for Vx>mpensation. He had wafer rights there for the working ot his flaxmill, and his interests were at stake to an important extent. Mr Tapp also had water rights. The Mayor did not think that Mr Parker would be deprived of a serious craantity of water. However, that wflß not a question for present consideration.

.€H»iincUlor Birch, replying to remarts made by Councillor Parker, «aid that originally he leaned to the Taylor idea; but he could not fly in the face of experts, and he had "the greatest confidence in .Batty's Creek. Mr Sturrock said he thought the Council could safely call Batty's Creek a natural artesian well, \ and »a for the difference in cost between that scheme and the artesian boring principle, the estimates were but approximate, and the Council could set down £70,000 for both cases without over-straining a point. The Mayor said that, these expert representations fully met his intentions. He would therefore agree to the inclxtsion of Batty's Creek in the DUBiping* issue. lit was then resolved to add to No. 1 paragraph of the referendum paper the words "at Batty's Creek or elsewhore as may be decided," nnd the terms.of the paper as a whole were. agreed to.

.to a question put by CoujQ- ■ oißor Parker, Mr Sturrbck related the experiences of Napier'with regard to artesian wells. He said that no Jess than 20 wells wore sunk there, ! thcrosh the original output of three was quite sufficient for the public supply. In the course of time every well "compacted"—that was to say, sand and such fine particles lodged in the shingle and prevented the flow of water. Then the municipality ; .went to another locality a mile away i and prut down four wells, which gave a splendid supply. But the prospect was that these would be similarly put out of action by the same compacting process. Napier had for many years ; an ample supply of artesian water ■ drawn from private wells, as we had . in Blenh&im; but the public supply,'l. nevertheless, became compacted. The { same thing might occur here. \ Asked as to how long the public | wells continued to flow, Mr Sturrock i said that one well, for instance, gave • 8000 gallons an hour at the outset, { hut at the end of a year its flow had j become reduced to about a third of ! that quantity. It was "shaken up" j and improved, but the diminution! continued. It was not a case of the j quantity of water, below lessening, bwt pi ite being imprisoned. Councillor Parker: Then you favor Batty's Creek because you think there will be no compacting there? Mr StuiTock: If it has been going i so. .strongly for 40 years, there ap- i pears to be no reason why it should \ 7iot continue. _ _ ! Councillor Carr said that he did not < agree with Mr Sturrock's advice to ; depend on the bog at Springlands. | He had known similar springs in the ; district that had gone quite dry. He \ referred to those at Taylor's flaxmill. j Blenheim's experience of artesian ' wells did not in any way justify the j compacting boccey. The three wells ■ at the Gas Works had continued to i give an undirmnished flow for years, \ and never show<Hl a sign of shingle or j sand. Ho believed that the trouble j in was that the tanks were \ ; " t

placed too closo to tho tcp of 3k& wells. The sumo mistake was msole at the Gas Works, but was remedied. Batty'fl Creek die] not ensure a clean supply of water. If anyone sank drainage pit in the vicinity the town sources would become polluted. A% Chrisrtchurch no trouble was experienced with the artesian supjjiy^ The Mayor said he did 'not understand that CliristehuTch was "fuee .from trouble in this respect. Jle marked that outoorlr six wells on^.tbo Blenheim Show" ('.Trouncfe, three W^ become corapactfitj.

Councillor Carr: They are only a lew feet down.

The Mayor said thai at Ghfistchurch the artesian wells had to ..be sunk to a depth nf TOO. Test. Bom© years ago a depth of 35 feet saas found to be sufficient. Di" course, Mr Carr was an old resident, ani 15a views had to be treated with resp^t. It mieht be that Batty'e Creek waalif dry up, and so might tho springs j£fc Spring Creek, but the Council 3*o to give weight to its 'expert's axcvMe. _ Tho ToAvn Clorb asked for snßttia»--tions as to tlte voting qiiaKnca^nss v to be. observed on the occasion of .ifc» reforendum. Thcit> were three clefeses of voters^—tho TrccholSjers omsis»ft9 . and wives), the ratepayers (hnsharSfe. ■and wives), and i!ip residential .section. In the statutory provisi«afi^H» to borrowing proposals the r<sicteH~ tial class was excluded. This ssaenot a referendum in the statutory sense.- and it would be necessaxy "to lav do^-n a definition.

It was. resolved ,to restrict £h& voting to.-freeholders and ratepayers*