ONEHUNGA WATER SUPPLY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 248, 26 October 1897, Page 5

ONEHUNGA WATER SUPPLY.

A special meeting of the Onehunga Borough Council was held last night, when there were present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr D. A. Sutherland), Messrs Colledge, Nixon, Fleming, Stoupe, Dunwoodie, Laking and Rowe.

The Mayor stated that the meeting was called to further consider a Bill to be introduced at the present session of Parliament by the Manukau Water .Supply Board, for power to draw water from any of the Onehunga Springs, to supply the adjacent districts. He was opposed to the Bill, and lie had telegraphed to Sir G. M. O'llorjce, informing that gentleman of the views of the ratepayers on the question as expressed at a public meeting held last Wednesday. He agreed with the resolution that the proposal to give Onehunga a small reserve at the Captain Springs was by no means a quid pro quo for the half of liycroft's springs. Mr Lakinrr moved I.hn .f..u«»»-<-- -■-•>-•-- ---turn, " 1 hat this Council respectfully requests Sir G. M. O'Rorke, the member for Mauukuu, to oppose tlio Bill to he submitted to Parliament by the Munukau Water Supply Board, asking for the necessary authority to draw water from the Ouchunga Springs, on the following grounds :—l. That it fakes away Onehunga's exclusive water right to lot 10, given by issue of Crown grant, and interferes with rights in respect to other springs in the district, all of which rights will be required as security if, in the near future, steps be taken to borrow money for expanding the present waterworks plant. 2. In exchange for the above-men-tioned right it gives Onehunga nothing, as the rights it professes to give are now possessed by Onehunga. ."?. The power of the Council to supply water is limited to within the borough of Onehunga, excluding even our present customers at One-tree Hill, Onehunga wharf, and Mangere. 4. The Onehunga waterworks have already, after paying working expenses and interest, ' earned a clear profit of £2,000. Of this sum £1,400 has been spent in further extending the water area, £400 has been paid Oil' the loan, and the balance of £300 is still in hand. As the profits increase Onehunga will be able to supply the adjacent districts in addition to those now proposed to bo supplied by the Manukau Water Supply Board. As soon as possible, therefore, the necessary steps will be taken by Onehunga to obtain the necessary authority to borrow money on the security of its water rights to provide a suitable plant for that purpose." Mr Stoupe seconded the resolution, and i7i doing so gave it as his opinion that the proposed Bill was altogether in favour of the Manukau Water Supply Board, and did not even give justice to Onehunga. A clause was inserted to enclose the Captain Springs and so increase the size of the Recreation Reserve, but the Board had informed him that they would, if the Bill became law, take their water from the Bycroft Springs. He considered the mover I had done quite right in asking Sir G. M. O'Rorke to takechargeof the resolution, as Onehunga had more claim on his services than a board composed only of live men. Mr Rowe said that as the ratepayers had condemned the Bill, he should vote in imison with them, but- he strongly ob--1 jected to tying the hands of Sir G. M. O'Rorke, as proposed in the resolution. : He, therefore, moved as an amendment, i "That the Council oppose the Bill accord- ! ing to the public meeting held on the 20th nit., and that copies of the resolution be forwarded to the Government and to Sir G. M. O'Rorke."

Mr Nixon spoke in favour of the resolution, and Mr Fleming against. In reply to the amendment Mr Laking said that Sir G. M. O'Rorke w"as waiting for instructions from the Council, as he had been requested to take charge of the Bill by the Chairman of the Board. It would be unwise to send a resolution to Parliament and not to have any member to voice the wishes of Onehunga. The Government would think the Council had lost faitli in their representative. The amendment was lost, as also was a further amendment by Mr Dunwoodie " That the Council take no further action in the matter, and that the Bill be left to the Manukau Water Supply Board to do as it pleases." After further discussion the original motion was put and carried by 6 to 2.