NORTH SHORE WATER.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 146, 21 June 1923, Page 3

NORTH SHORE WATER.

TEMPORARY AUGMENTATION. BIRKENHEAD OPPOSES WAIRAU. The Birkenhead Borough Council last night displayed unanimity in opposing the Lower Wairau scheme of augmenting the North Shore water supply and in j declaring for safeguarding the purity of the present supply from Lake Takapuna, until an edequate and permanent supply was installed. Tlie .Mayor. Mr. E. C. Walton, said the Health Officer could not recommend the Lower Wairau water, and the board should be guided by that indication and .drop the proposal. The expenditure of .-50,000 on the Upper Wairau was too | much to saddle on the four North Shore j boroughs for a temporary supply for | four years. He therefore had given notice |to move at tlie meeting of the Hoard of Control: "That, in yiew of the cost, this 'board take no further steps with rcard |to a temporary supply, but in lieu thercjof. safeguards the purity of the present 'supply from the lake by exercising all ij powers that it may have", or can obtain, ,nnd also conserves the supply by limiting .tits use. if necessity arises, 'to" domestic 'purposes, pending the installation of a .scheme which will ensure nn adequate permanent water supply." | Approval was recorded of the Mayor's j notions, and his motion down for consideration at the next meeting of the I board was also cordially supported. ! DEVONPORT COUNCIL'S ATTITUDE. SUPPORT OF LOWER WAIRAU SCHEME. Mr. A. V. Fraer, at the meeting of the borough council last evening, explained the notices of motion to be; discussed by the Lake Control Hoard next week. Mr. ! Fraer, who represents tlie borough on tlie board, reviewed the activities of the past few weeks, and explained the rival schemes for augmentation from the Upper and Lower Wairau, with their relative costs of £37,000 and £20,000. I The borough delegate emphasised the i gravity of the position, stating that I despite the recent heavy rain Lake I I'lipuko showed an increase of only one j inch in level, which demonstrated" that demand was overtaking supply. There had been a gradual fall during" the past twelve years, and augmentation was an absolute necessity in view of the dire possibilities of water famine when the j increasing demands of Northcote and Takapuna, who were contemplating drainage systems, were taken into account. -Mr. A. Hartley opposed the ratification of any scheme for the present. He said that the present agitation over water | supply began with a hue and a cry about : tlie impurity of the water, and now that j had been disposed of its alleged scarcity j came into prominence. He opposed any I action until actual diminution was j proved and the suitability of the Lake as a reservoir could be demonstrated. ! The Mayor supported Mr. Fraer's statement, but declared himself unre- :| sorv.edly in favour of (he Lower Wairau scheme. If the Upper Wairau project | was the ultimatum of the Health DeI partment ho would be in favour of seeking an entirely different source, a sits ■ great cost did not promise any comincni sin-ate advantage. i The council decided to authorise Mr. I Fraer to support the Lower Wairau ' scheme, on the condition that the allocation cf proportionate bonoiigh cost ij should lie on the rateable values of the ■| boroughs concerned.