LOAN FOR WATER

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 58, 9 March 1928, Page 11

LOAN FOR WATER

■•:■. ■ y ,» / : , -OVER KATEPA.YERS' HtiADS .'-.'.; ; .(By Telegraph.) '."-(Special to "The-Evening Post.") PALMEBSTON N., This Day. At the meoting of the Pnlmerston North Hospital Board yesterday, tho chairman (Sir J. G. Wilson)' reforrod to tho recent rejection of the water loan proposals by tho Pnlmorston North ratepayers, an action which, hoisaid, liad astonished him, and which ho designated as-retrograde. On his suggestion it was. decided that a deputation from the board wait upon tho Borough Council for tho purposo of urging that steps bo talcen to apply to tho Board of Health for a-.warrant to raiso tho necessary sum for tho purposo of carrying put tho scheme to givo further water supply to Palinorstoii North without "tho consent of tho ratepayers. ■ It had boen suggested by a member < i tho Borough Council that tho board should supply its own water, added the chairman. Mr. J. A. Nasli, M.P.: "An ex-coun-cillor." '.• . Tho Chairman: "Very.well, but that would cost tho board a lot of monoy. It takes 8000 gallons a minulo to control a fire, and .consequently an enormous amount of water to properly insuro the Hospital against iirc." The matter was a serijus one for tho board, which was responsible for tho safety as well as tho health of tho patients. Ho shuddered to think what would happen to tho patients if a firo broko out. Sir James explainod that the Board of Health was established for tho purposo montionod. It of ton happened that1 in rapidly-growing towns tho ratopayers living in tho centre voted against proposals to extend wator systems to the outskirts. In any case, tho board had nothing to do with borough affairs, oxcept that it wanted water for tho Hospital. Ho did not look with favour on an artesian scheme.