WATER SUPPLIES FAIL

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21402, 19 February 1935, Page 12

WATER SUPPLIES FAIL

PLIGHT Of OXFOftD AND MALVERN MINISTERS TO BE APPROACHED CONFERENCE OF COUNTY . REPRESENTATIVES The serious plight of the Oxford anfl Malvern counties through the failure of the watering systeriis led to the calling of a meeting at ford yesterday of representatives of foUr of the counties in North Canterbury to consider the provision of better riieans of watering these counties. It Was decided to inform the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) and the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. J. Bitchener) of the urgency of the need for a supply of water for stock in Oxford arid Malvern, and at the same tirrie a recommendation was made that a special committee be 1 set up to corisider the improvement of the supply of water, both for drinking water and for stock iri these ties.

Tlie meeting was held in the Town Hall at Oxford, and was attended by representatives of the Oxford, Malvern, Eyre, arid Rangiora County Councils, and the Waimakariri-Ash-ley Waiter Supply Board. Mr J l . Lahgbein, District Public Works Engineer, also attended the meeting* and with hiitt Mr T. G. Beck, who is in chdfgfe of the hydroiogical and topographical surveys which are being carried out by the Public Works Department in varidUs parts of Canterbury* including Oxford. Varying' Conditions Mr P. Fisher, chairman of the Oxford County Council; who presided; saiti that at the worst period in Oxford the main race contained Water thrCe inches deep over a Width of 18 inches. This had to serve 20,000 acres, and oh top of that there was an area of 9000 aefes linwatered. Something had to be dohe, and it was a question of how, for other Counties wei : e iH want of water for drinking purposes: Mr H. E. Evans, of the Eyre County Council, said that the present system for the watering of stock in the Eyre county was generally satisfactory; and had caused very little inconvenience; Mr H. Tallott, of the Rangiora County Council, said that Rangiora was perfectly. satisfied and had absolutely no complaints. Describing a serious situation in the Malvern couiity; Mi 1 G. H. Adams, chairman of the MaiVerh County Council, said that water might be described as a burning question. The county depended on two main supplies and twd miiior ones. (The Selwyn river, one of the major supplies, was still functioning quite Well, but the Kowai had failed, and was giving now about half of the supply required. Last week the amount rdefeived from this river was about one-third of the requirements. Malvern needed a much larger supply, and the Waimakariri was the only source. The two main races were alternated every 36 hours, but eVfcn then thfe Water did not get down tb the tail end. The position was very serious for stock, and the fire menace, too, was great. If a lire got & good Bold oh a wide frontage, he trembled tb think what the consequences would be. Mr P; Chamberlain, also of the Malvern County Council, said that at Bufnham he Was at the tail end of the water siipply ; The alternating of the racfei meant that three times as much water Wds required. This year Was not the only year in which there had been a shortage. SliPPly Board's System Mr j.WWalletr t of the WaimakaririAshley Water Supply Board, said that the board's supply had seldom failed; this yfiar .10 of 12 settlers had not received the .water they needed, but he edftsidered that that was due to dirt hi the Oxford, CUst, and Rangiora ends of the race's. He assured the meeting that the board would give support in getting water' out Of the Waimakariri higher up. Mr H. Hfeiriisch, another member Of the board, said he thought most of the board's ratepayers "were satisfied, but the board could not supply all .the h§eds of Oxford. lii reply to the chairman, Mr Waller said tHat the board had practically no trouble in keeping the water up to its ifitake. Ml" HeiiiiSch said that the tappiiig of the Waimakariri higher up might mcari higher fates for the board's ratepayers; the board had not discussed it and could not yet be committed. The chairman said he understood, although he had hot expert knowledge, that It would be only a matter of time beffffe the intake at Brown's Rock, from Whi6h the board took its supply, woUld bfe high and dry, and it Would be an eC6noihic impossibility to get it back. CO-operation among the local bodies was necessafy; the chairman said, if the Government was to be approached for soitte assistance. Higher Intake Mr L. Watson mentioned a suggestion that a weir or dam should be placed In the Waimakariri higher up, . to take extra water for the Malvern , and Eyre races. That was the best way to relieve the position, but if irrigai tioft were to be adopted it might take . years. The KoWai and the Eyre as ! sources of water Were exhausted, and 'the Waimakariri was the only jsourde .remaining. He considered that some I of the funds held by the Unemployr merit Bokrd should be devoted to pubi lie works of the kind needed at Ox--1 ford. , Replying to a question about hov.- : Idng it would be before drinking ■ water could be made available by iri rigatiofi. Mr Langbein said that investigations would probably take 12 months. At present £SOOO a year was being spetit on investigations. Mr Adams asked if a scheme for procuring water immediately could later be linked with an irrigation scheme. Mr Langbein stated that this could be probably arranged. A suggestion was made that Water might be pumped straight from the Waimakariri. Mr James Deans said that electric pumping might be the solution of the problem. If pumping could be done at a reasonable cost below the Waimakariri Gorge bridge, there was no reason why the water i could H6t be lifted 100 ft Or more. This | would be of tremendous benefit immediately iflStead of having water [running through a long stretch of •waste country first. Mr Langbein said that pumping would be quite feasible, but it would be expensive, and it would be necessary to know how much pumping would ba involved.

A &3rth*r Suggosticfc was made that underground nvers.

r from which a supply could be obtained. TO this Mi- Beck stated that the investigation .of underground supplies had been an important part of the experiments in the Levels County. Tests had been made to discover the depth and rate of flow of an underground supply detected there. It was found that water was steadily drifting underground from the rivers to the sea, but it was not yet possible to giiage the volume of it. Mr Deans moved that a committee be set up to consider securing water to meet the requirements of stock in the Oxford and Malvern counties. Mr Adams suggested that it might be better for the counties to work separately. Mr H. G. Parish (Oxford) claimed that irrigation should be tried, and there was no reason why the Government should not put men on, to the work. Two Separate Problems Mr Deans said that there were two definite and separate problems, the supply of water for stock, and irrigation. The chairman: We hear of people starving for w&nt of food, and here the land is crying out for water while adjoining it is the river with millions of gallons of water running to waste. Mr Beck said in answer to a question that he could not yet say what the cost of irrigation would be. Mr Deans withdrew his motion in favour of a resolution moved by Mr Adams: "That this meeting urge on the Prime Minister and the Minister for Public Works the urgency of the need for a supply of water for stock in the Oxford and Malvern counties." This resolution Was seconded by Mr Evans, and carried unanimously. - Mr Evans moved, and Mr J. Cullen (Malvern) seconded: "That in the opinion of this meeting it is advisable that a committee be set up to investigate the supply of water for stock and drinking water in the Malvefti and Oxford counties, and that it be left to the local bodies to appoint representatives to this committee." The motion was carried unanimously and the Oxford County Council was appointed convener of the committee. Mr Beck gave an address on irrigation experiments in Canterbury, and the meeting accorded to him and to votes of thanks.