NO WATER.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 48, 26 February 1926, Page 8

NO WATER.

FAMINE AT BROKEN HILL SUPPLIES TRUCKED TO TOWN, SERIOUS POSITION. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, February 19. Broken Hill, the famous mining centre in the far west of New South Wales, has been in imminent danger of a water famine. So serious is the position that a group of engineers representing the N.S.W., S.A., and Federal Governments has been sent to town to attempt to alleviate, the position. Prompt measures have been taken by the N.S.W. Railway Department, which expects to be able to supply, in the course of a week, sufficient water for the use of townspeople. They have arranged for the shipment of 20 large water tanks, capable of holding 5000 gallons each, to Port Pirie, also a locomotive, in part, which can be easily assembled at Broken Hill. It is proposed to take the entire shipment from Port Pirie over the 3ft 6in gauge to Broken Hill, and the locomo-

tive will be assembled and mounted on the 4ft Biin gauge at Broken Hill.

A daily water service will then be maintained between Menindie, on the Darling River, and Broken Hill, a distance of 73 miles by rail. The department proposes to transport by this means from 140,000 to 150,000 gallons of water each day of the week. While that system is being placed in operation, supplies in the town are being augmented by water from South Australia, over the Silverton railway.

Mining managers in conference with the Broken Hill City Council stated that the mines themselves would require a million and a-quarter gallons weekly to keep essential services going.

The future policy of the mines will be considered at a later conference, when a decision will probably be arrived at regarding the continuance of operations. Water for the Broken Hill city baths and for watering parks and street trees was not available after February 12, and in order to allow of the holding of a carnival in the baths on Wednesday of this week, the baths were filled last Friday, and no one was allowed to enter them until after the visiting swimmers had concluded their events.