PRICE AND TERMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 185, 8 August 1927, Page 8

PRICE AND TERMS.

WATER FOR OUTER AREAS.

SUPPLY FROM CITY SOURCES.

FUUTURE LEGISLATION

Instructions have been issued by the Auckland City Council to the city solicitor (Mr. J. Stan ton) to prepare the necessary legislation in regard to the future supply of water to the areas outside the city boundaries.

Mr. J. A. C. Alluin (chairman of the Tramways and Water Committee of the council) said to-day that, as far as the council was concerned, the matter was finalised at the meeting last Thursday, when the committee reported in regard to the recommendations of the Water Commissioners, as contained in their recent report. The committee recommended, in connection with the reference of the Commission to chlorination, that where chlorination was necessary it should be effected by the use of liquid chlorine; but that as the Western Springs was the only place under the council's jurisdiction where chlorine was used, and then only on rare occasions, the council should take no action in the direction of appointing a special officer for the supervision of chlorination.

Referring to that part of the report of the commission which dealt with the recognition of the right of adjacent local bodies to a share in the Auckland city water supplies at what was referred to as a reasonable price and upon reasonable terms, and in which the commission recommended that legislation dealing with this and cognate matters should be introduced, providing for the settlement of any dispute by arbitration, the committee recommended this for the council's approval and, further, that the city solicitor be requested to take the necessary steps to draft legislation in terms of the recommendations of the water commission.

The council adopted the committee's recommendations. As to the scope of the legislation which the city solicitor was instructed to prepare, it was considered that it should provide for a threefold purpose: First, that the city recognise its responsibility to supply water to the outer areas when called upon to do so; secondly, that the charge for such water should be sufficient to cover the cost of the service and give a proportion of profit; thirdly, that, if a dieputo arose as to the proposed charge, the local authority concerned should have the right of referring the decision to an arbitration tribunal.