WATER SUPPLY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17983, 29 January 1924, Page 9

WATER SUPPLY.

LOAN POLL ECHOES. Echoes of "Wednesday's loan poll were heard at the meeting of the City Council last night. A reason advanced by Cr. E. McCombs for the failure to carry the water supply loan poll was that there were not sufficient polling booths. Woolston. for example, she said, only had one. The Mayor: Two.

Cr. McCombs: There was one at St. Peter's but that is not. Woolston proper. Cr. F. R. Cooke said it was a pitv tho loan proposal was rejected. I'he Council should formulate a definite policy for water supply extension and development, and should accord the ratepayers a. full understanding of the scheme. The present water scheme had been a success, and there was an abundance of water still to l>e exploited. In time the Council would have full control of the artesian wate?- supplies and the private sinking of wells would no longer be permitted^ Cr. H. T. Armstrong said that if the Council had adopted the meter system not five per cent, of those who voted would have voted for the loan. 110 did not think there was much in the argument that sufficient polling booths were not provided. The Mayor: There were 42 booths. Cr. Armstrong- Far two many for the amount ef the voting. The poll was turned down on account of the apathy of the people. I do not believe that, a majority of the ratepayers are opposed to it. There are people already supplied with water, who have some idea that to supply other districts would alfect their rates. Cr. Armstrong said that the Drainage Board was carrying out a sewerage extension scheme, yet there was no water scheme provided for flushing. In Wellington special statutory authority was obtained enabling the' Council to borrow money for sewerage and water supply without taking a poll of ratepayers. Loan Procedure Condemned. The Mayor said the loan was thrown out by a small majority of people who alreauy had the water, and was carried i>y a small majority of those in other parts. If each Councillor had got five people to vote for the scheme it would have been carried, but he did not think it was the duty of members l>f the Council to tout for votes lor a scheme that was so much in the interests of the community. He believed that if the scheme was placed before the ratepayers again it would be carried by a large majority. The scheme was an efficient and economical one, and <ill the outcry that had been made as to the purity of the water was so' much fudge, it surprised him that the outcry came from the quarter it did. The water of Christchurcli was the finest water in New Zealand, no matter whether it was first stratum or deeper. The city was not going to spend £60,000 in sinking deep wells when £6OOO would do. That would be a silly policy. At the recent poll 18,000 voting papers were prepared and only 2400 were used. Tho waste of money in printing and unnecessary booths was simply scandalous and it . was high- time the law was altered- in regard to matters such as that. The Council was not to be trusted to adopt a scheme for the good of the community without going to expense and delay in getting authority to spend £77,000, half to be used in laying down mains where no mains were to lay. The whole thing was an absurdity that the Council should have to do those things. He would hammer it out until some reform was effected. The Drainage. Board recently got authority to raise a loan of three-quarters of a million, and no more voted than voted last Wednesday. If all the water .supply loans were pooled the water could be supplied at 5d per 1000 gallons. At present the Council was tied up by Government regulations and found it impossible to make any headway. In fact he was inclined to think that only by separation from the North Island could the South Island get something done instead of, as at present, being tied down by the North Island. Cr. Archer: In a South Island Parliament which party will you join? The Mayor: The party out for the good of the people. Cr. F. R. Cooke said he agreed.that the legislators in the past had acted most stupidly. The Council should obtain a comprehensive report regarding the future extension and development of the city water supply. The people did not understand the Council's scheme put forward last '"Wednesday, and the issue was cam yuflaged by a Recalled scientific objection. Or. A. Williams said it would he wiser to wait till April for a comprehensive scheme rather than adopt a pieoe-meal policy as proposed by Cr. Winsor. Cr. A. McKellar said a large number of ratepayers had their own artesian wells, and would not support a loan proposal. The Mayor said that the people who already had a supply did not vote for the new loan. Cr. W. E. Leadley said the ratepayers did not have the scheme explained to them and so they turned it down: Cr. E. McComEs said that residents should have power to vote as well as ratepayers, and the law should be amended accordingly. The Mayor said the Council had considered the scheme for the past eighteen months, and full reports had been published. If the people did not understand the scheme, then he was sorry to think they were so lacking in commonsense and wisdom, as not to understand what had been put before them. He gave them credit for more knowledge of the position than perhaps he should have done. On the next occasion he would take care tliat the people did understand it. Cr. Winsor's motion was carried on the voices.Supply for Spreydon. At a later stage of the meeting Cr. W. H. Winsor moved that the Water Supply Committee should be asked to bring down a report on the possibility of connecting Spreydon with the present high pressure water supply. He said that the people of Spreydon wanted the water. A Councillor: Why didn't they vote for it. Cr. Winsor: We did vote for it. Cr. Winsor said that the Spreydon district "was prepared to accept responsibility for a loan for reticulation provided the water could be supplied. The motion was seconded by Cr, W. E. Leadley. Cr. E. H. Andrews: Could not the Water Supply Committee be bring down a report on the whole scheme? The Mayor: There is no chance of doing anything till April, for there is no money. available for taking further polls. Cr. A. McKellar said he was convinced the reason why the poll was not carried was that "the people did not think the system of rating was equitable. If the meter system had been adopted the poll would have been carried.