WATERWORKS LOAN

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 136, 5 March 1929, Page 6

WATERWORKS LOAN

UPPER HUTT PROPOSALS WILL BE GIVEN EFFECT TO Reconsideration of the £20,300 water-works loan desired by the Upper Hutt Borough Council has been given by the Local Government Loans Board and a communication was read at last night’s meeting of the council stating that under the Act cf 1926, in the event of the board refusing to sanction an application of a local body to borrow monies no further application should be made within twelve months, unless in the meantime there had been a material change of circumstance affecting the loan proposals. ' As no such change was indicated as far as the extension of the waterworks was concerned, the board was unable to consider the application.

“It is considered,” ran the letter, “that unless there is any immediate necessity for the extension of smaller schemes by individual local authorities the development of the major scheme under the Wellington City and Suburban Water Supply Board should be awaited. Regarding the borough of Upper Hutt, the reports of the previous summer, a very dry oue, had shown that ample water was available from the present head-works, and that by restricting the use of water in the summer months the present system would provide ail the water necessary for some time for domestic purposes and for the proposed sewerage works. Should the council desire to renew the mains in some part of the-borough by substituting larger mains for the small ones at present being used, no doubt the Loans Board would further consider the matter, but. under the existing circumstances, the construction of the headworks seemed unnecessary. /

Last night a reply was approved requesting leave to submit again the proposals for improvements. These included the substitution of larger mains for the existing 1 Jin. ones and the reticulation of certain streets...in the borough, which are now without mains. It pointed out that the position had altered materially since the receipt of the engineer’s report. Three new services have been, connected up. and these had taken heavy additional toll of the supply.

Tbe 50,000-gallon tank at the headworks iu reserve had provided just sufficient wafer, to meet last season’s requirements, but the new ordinary services had reduced the , margin of safety, and ratepayers were growing uneasy. Provision must be made to meet the danger which would threaten in the event of fire, or interference with the regular supply. Application was again made for a Water Supply Head works’ Loan, of £6BOO, and Water Reticulation Loan, of £lO,OOO. A further application for a Fire Brigade Loan of £3500 was, held over pending the board’s decisJon.

Subsequently, it was stated. the chairman of the board bad intimated that his committee would raise no objection to the Upper Hutt proposals being given effect to, and he offered to have a resolution of the board to that end put through at the next meeting of that body.