LOWER HUTT WATER SUPPLY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3020, 6 March 1917, Page 9

LOWER HUTT WATER SUPPLY

/ ,■ IMPROVEMENTS' COUNSELLED H ■

£4000 LOAN PROPOSAL

The water Ripply of the Borough of Lower. Hutt was begun k iM, and the engines, ote, used in pumping water, into the,reservoir havo been in I continuous use ever since. The borough | engineer Las advised tke Borough | Council that new engines/ --ramps, etc., ; should ) )e procured and installed. His estimate of the cost is £3710. The idea yas not only to renew the gear, out to improve the service,' and leave a margin 0 f safety. Last evening the Hutt Borough Council adopted scheme, and decided to ask the ratepayers to- vote £4000 to carry -it out. I The meeting of the council was a i special oue, and was attended by the ■ Mayor (:,lv. K. Baldwin), Councillors Hobbs, Bail, Heron, Clendon, Brasell, Carver, Meldrnm, and Hodgins. , The. Mayor reminded the council that ■at a. previous meeting the scheme subI nutted by tho engineer was approved. J.ho question now was: Were the councillors still of the.same opinion? Councillor Hodgins: AVas there not to be opinion from-our solicitor? J "he Mayor said they wore to have J obtained the solicitor's opinion as to I when tho proposal was put J to the ratepayers, an alternative pro,l posal could be put on the voting paper. | One proposal would cover the scheme as submitted by tho engineer. The altcr|/native proposal suggested was that [scheme, plus a second srpply pipe, costing an extra £710. A. written opinion had not-been obtaked, but the solicitor had advised that it would be lawful to put tho alternative proposals on. the votkg paper, but in doing so fchero would be a great danger of creat- ; ing confusion. j Tho town clerk said the solicitor had I also pointed out that it waß tho duty of. the council, to put tho issue clearly before, the public. The clerk, explained all tho. matter, with which the ballot ...paper, would have to be loaded if tho alternatives wero placed.on.it, and remarked that. tho. ratepayers would need to.be lawyers to understand it. Councillor Hobbs: And what would happen if? the £710 proposal were carried, and the £4000 proposal rejected? (Laughter.) The Mayor: That could not happen. The voting would be on a proposal for/£4OOO or a proposal.for £4700. Tho. Mayor said that personally, ho ■thought they should adopt tho engineer's, scheme as originally- submitted. That. would servo the needs of the borough for the next fivo yoars or. eo, and-by thon tho district might bo_elecfcrified.

Councillor Ball said they were on tho wrong track-in going to the ratepayers at all at the present timo, and they would meet with considerable opposition. ' ■ ■

The Mayor: If thero was a breakdown, where would you bo for your water supply? Councillor Brasell said it was littlo uso having an engineer if they did not act on his advice. And his advice was that now engines woro needed right away.

Councillor Clondon, commenting on tho Mayor's opinion .that the effecting of • tho proposals would secure tho borough for the next five years, said that-they should reckon on tho population, of the borough goiiig ahead by leaps and bounds after' thb- war. Councillor Hodgins hoped that tho voting would bp unanimous. If tho council was divided, that would havo a bad effect on the chaucs of carrying the proposal. Peoplo would say tho councillors could not agree, amongst •themselves. Ho knew there wero somo ratepayers who did not care whether the people got. water or not. 'All they wanted was no increase in the rates. The Mayor: I, too, was hoping we' would be unanimous.

Councillor Ball: Or, in other words, Councillor Ball should sink- his conscience and vote exactly as Councillor Hodgins dictates. '

Councillor Hodgins: Yes, I think you should when you are beaten.

Councillor Ball: Well,. I certainly havo no intention of doing so. I think I am as much'entitled to an opinion as you are.

Councillor Hodgins: You are, and perhaps you have more, brains than I have.

Councillor Ball: Yes, that may be eo. _ Iho Mayor, who expressed tho opinion that a second ■ supply pipo would be absolutely wasted, moved that the engineer's scheme should he adopted, with slight alterations.

Councillor Hobbs seconded the pro. ppsal.

The motion was carried. Councillor Ball dissented, and asked that his voto: should be recorded.