Marton Water Shortage Closes Schools In Town

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27632, 13 April 1955, Page 7

Marton Water Shortage Closes Schools In Town

(New Zealand Press Association)

WANGANUI, April 12. Because of the acute shortage of water in Marton neither the Marton District High School nor the Marton Junction School will reopen tomorrow after the Easter holidays. “The position has become so grim in Marton that it has been decided that neither of the schools will reopen,” said the secretary of the Wanganui Education Board (Mr G. N. Boulton) today. The teachers, he said, would return to the schools tomorrow morning, and would prepare assign* ments for the children. The assistance of the Army to maintain a supply has befen sought. At a meeting of the Marton Borough Council tonight the position was outlined to Mr N. L. Shelton, member of Parliament for Rangitikei. who communicated with the Minister of Defence (Mr T. L. Macdonald), and informed the council that the Minister would

arrange for Army engineers to visit the town immediately. It was hoped that the Army Department would then supply trucks to maintain an emergency supply of water and perhaps find other means of overcoming the shortage. Mr Shelton said he felt it would be safe for the council to discontinue immediately the present very costly arrangements for carting water from the Rangitikei river. However, the council decided to continue to use hired trucks, pending a decision by the Army authorities. Several big industrial firms today carted their own water. They intend to continue to do so until the crisis passes. The use of water for baths in hotels has been forbidden.

The weather reports suggest a continuance of fine weather for probably two days.