NORTH SHORE WATER.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 281, 25 November 1915, Page 7

NORTH SHORE WATER.

LAKE BOARS INADEQUATE. WIDER SCOPE WANTED. XEW BILL CRITICISED. Many points of criticism of the new i constitution of the Lake Takapuna Water Board, and of the general pro-! visions of the legislation recently passed I in a Washing-up Bill to enable" further I stops to he taken to eneure the Xorth i Shore water supply, were raised at last night's meeting of the Takapuna I Borough Council, over which the \Javor i I (Mr VV. Blomield) presided. \ The Public Service Committee presented a special report recommending:— Th:it tbe follon-in- statement be adopted by rue ( nun. ,1. and a i-opy forwarded to the .ii.inn,- Association;— 'li That the Takapuaa Boroush Council considers it expedient that a meeting of tie i . Maine Boroughs Association siiouLl lie I I called at the earliest p.wslble date for the I purpose of receiving from the deputation ! i ",^ 1 ,4! si " , : 1 We lKnetf.n. a report nt the | I dteruM th.' cl.-iuse*. referring to the Board of (ontnil in the Washing-up Bill recently I pa.-se.t hy Parliament. (2) That tUe Council reirets that the delegates rorniins the deputation to Wellington were unsuccessful h, currying out the I principal wishes of the Association, as ex- '< I pressed in resolution adopted at meeting I i hold September -4th. IUIS, viz.. "That no further powers he vested iv the Hoard until the Association has further considered the wbolo matter of the management of the supply, on the ground that th-e Board's WToujtly constituted and therefore inadequate." i WHOSE PROPOSALS? \ iSi That the Council submits that the legislation referred to iv the previous paragraph was initiated by persons without authority to do so. anri that such au imP'TUnt matter should not have been placed before Ministers until a clear expression of opinion had been rtrst obtained from the I local bodfes Interested. |4> That the Council take? this opportunity of expressing Its appreciation oi tie progress mad" by the late Board under the I . ahle gaidanctj nt the ci&iruian. ami considers the cud desired, viz.. the supply of i water Iv a.uple quantity and undoubted I purity at a low price to the noroujrhs of . Di-vouport. S'ortucote, Hirkenhead and Takapuna. Is more likely u< tie achieved by a .-ntnil 'iody with iideu.ti.-Ue powers than by eacll horouzh carrying out separate works. At this stage the appolutmeut of ' su.-h a body is urgently needed. GRAVE DEFECTS. "The Council considers the following grave defects in the new regulations lately set up will seriously hinder the attainment of the desired end:—(a) The number at members on the Board Is too few for ?uch important work, ibi t/nder such clauses of the old restitutions whl.-h are not repealed the Board's income will continue to he paid Into :av Consolidated Ke-veuue. (ci The : regulations presuppose the Board will adopt the Walrau Creek scheme, and are evidently framed ,>n that assumption, although that , I scheme h-is not yet parsed the introductory \ I stage, whilst orber sources of supply have i been, suggested which present attractive ' features, id) The allocation of capital to be i ral-cd hj M»- Water Board for carrying out I works to alignment the supply iv the Lake, being based ..ii the present amount of water used in each borough. Is Inequitable." rOLNCLL'S PROPOSALS. Tile Council submits the following propositions:— 1. Although tbe present water supply may with strict economy lie -ufflclent for a year or two. it will certainly nut be equal to demands when drainage works at NortUci.te. liirkenhead and Takapuna h.ive been carried out. especially iv view of the rapid Increase in population. 2. That to entrust the permanent future water supply of the four boroughs to .1 Board with power only to loo£ to the Lake and what may be put into the Lake, the sole source of supply Is unwise, then- beins other feasible schemes quite apart from the Lake, which may pruvide the best solution of ttat" problem. Tuts Council therefore iirses the Marine Boroughs Association to initiate leslslutinn which shall cuustltute a Water Board made up as follows:—One member .ruminated by 111? Government; two members elected by each Borough Council, who, ceasiug to b< , meruhers of the Borouch Councils, shall rease In If members of the Water Board. The IVianl irbaU follow the usual custom in •'irnilar bodies by electing Its own chairman. nn<] shall have power to uke over existing pumping station.*-, am! to borrow monpy for t"he purpose of providing water, measured by meter, to the borough* or Devonport. Xorthcote. Hlrkenheud and Takapnna at a price per thousand gallons j>nlDcient to cover Interest on loans and working expenses. LOCAL OPINION IGNORED. Moving the adoption of the report. Mr E. E. Grinnrade reminded the meetins that Takapuna protested before the regulations went through Parliament, and added that the report was brought up with the object of definitely stating what was wanted. There was a remarkable difference between the resolution of , the marine boroughs and the legislation passed by Parliament. No one knew who initiated the bill. It was not suggested by the chairman of the Board, nor by the interested borough councils, i With regard to the supposition that the ; Wairau Creek would be diverted, the ! speaker contended that there were in- < numerable points to be considered be- ; fore they were committed to any policy. and reminded the Council of the schemes i suggested by the Mayor of Auckland and others, who had brought forward apparently feasible proposals for increasing 1 the 6iipply of the district. The alloca- I tion of responsibility in capital expendi- i ture was inequitable, as it permanently saddled Devorrport with a huge proportion of the cost for all time. The Board should no longer he restricted by the designation "The Lake Board of Control." but should he a water board with power to control the whole water supply. Several members warmly supported the proposals made in the report, particularly the suggestion that the opera- ' tions of the new board should not be confined to a. scheme solely dealing with ' the lake supply, and the report was adopted.