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Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 19, 23 January 1886, Page 2

The visit to the Nihotopu Falls projected by His Worship tho Mayor as a moans towards forming a docision upon the offer to sell tho Corporation tho adjoining property took place yO3terday, and proved both pleasant and profitable. Two fonr-horso drags leaving tho Caledonian Hotel corner at S a.m., conveyed tho party out, and brought thorn back, said party consisting of tho following gentlemen : — His Worship tho Mayor.Councillors Aickin, Dignan, Kidd, Devore, Connolly, Laßocho, Crowther, Coopor, and Stevenson. There wero also present Mr Errington, (Waterworks Engineer), Mr Thomson (Superintendent of Police), Mr Pond (Government Analyst), Mr Anderson (City Engineer), Mr T. Cotter (City Solicitor), Mr Plumley, and Press representatives. On arrival at tho Nikotacu Crook, tho water was found flowing in a clear, translucent, refreshingly cool stream, about 5 foot wide and 1 foot deop in its deepest part. The Engineer took measurements, and found the present daily outflow to bo, in round numbers, one million gallons. Whon last tested the daily outflow was four million gallons, and in some seasons it vises to six million gallons, while the stroam oorrospondontly broadens to 16 or 18 feet. Still, a capacity of ono million gallons por diem in an oxcesaively dry season like the prosont is a vory abundant auxiliary water supply. From tho Nikotopu Creek the water could bo brought into the city by a gravitation scheme, and the City Engineer suggested yesterday that tho cheapest plan would be to utilise tho vast

natural reservoir of the Mt. Eden crater, and carry it thither, whence it would flow by gravitation to all parts of the city. The Western Springs supply, with its incidental pumping oxponses,could then be treated as an auxiliary to that fro n Nihotopu, The party reachod town about 8 o'clock, and the Engineers will 7iow report to tho Council upou the desirability of purchasing tho property offered for salo at Nikotpou. "

At tho present time tho harbour appears to be tooming with sharks. Scarcely a day passes without a record of these voracious neh being seen. Tho latest comes from the vicinity of Cox's Creek, and should prove a warning to those p.rsons who are in the habit of enjoying a bath there. It appears that about 0 o'clock yesterday morning a party of children were'bathing in what is known as Edgar's Creek, about half a milo up from the point. They Tv 8t re SainC(i the bank, when the eldest, a lad about sixteen years of age, discovered a shark's tail in the water. Ho shouted out "look at tho shark," and the whole of the party ' saw a shark between eight and nine feet in length. His head almost touched the bank upon which they were standing. It was quite evident that the shark had been bearing down upon the party, and it was only the fact that they had just left the water that saved them from a bite. The lads pelted tho fish until it awam away out of roach. As there are many people who baths hear Cox's Creek bridge, it would be well for them to takd warning by tho above. •