WATER SUPPLY.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15499, 28 January 1916, Page 5

WATER SUPPLY.

MEETING AT OXFORD. Tlie dry season lis-s made the scarcity of rain a serious menace to the stock, particularly on the Plains. Tlie supply of water from the River Eyre is far from adequate, and a • large part of the area, about 20.000 acres,, is almost waterless. A few months ago a meeting was held to see what means could be adopted to supplementtiie supply, and it was suggested that tlie surplus and wastage from the Cooper's Creek district might be saved and utilised. A report was to have been secured, but nothing seems to have been done: at any i-atc, what was done was not considered of suiheient importance to report to the ''arcpayers. Matters have been getting v. orse. and tlie County Council called a public meeting, which was held in the Coronation Hall on Tuesday night, to consider the matter. There were about 25 ratepayers present, and Sir J. "Wells, chairman of tho County Council, presided. Unfortunately for the success of the meeting the Council had no data to place before the gathering, every member of which was seeking information which could not be supplied. It was considered that any satisfactory supply must be got from the Waimakariri river. The old Rock Ford scheme, if carried out, would enter the district too far down, and tho. difficulty of getting water from the river higher up would be great. _ It was suggested that the river might be tapped near the Woodstock woolshed, and, if this were done, the whole district would be covered. All suggestions in regard to the use of machinery for the raising of water r were pronounced impracticable on account of the great cost. As no further good would be achieved by considering the matter with the present limited knowledge, it was resolved that the meeting adjourn for a month, when a meeting would again be held, the Council in the meantime to make a survey of the probable intakes, with an I estimate of cost, and be prepared to lay a scheme before the adjourned mV-eting, when it was hoped somo I progress would be made.