NO WITHDRAWAL

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 120, 23 May 1930, Page 15

NO WITHDRAWAL

EASTBOURNE STILL IN WATER BOARD l

TOO EARLY TO LEAVE

A successful appeal to the council not tc withdraw f'-om the Wellington City and Suburban Water Board was made by the Mayor of Eastbourne (Mr. H. M. Jones) at the meeting of the Eastbourne 'Jorougli Council last night, when Councillor S. Fisher moved that the council withdraw from the board. • "We are in the Water Board by virtue of. an Act of Parliament and we can't get out of it," said Mr. Jones. That applied particularly, he said, to the benefits contained in the very generous act of the Coates Government i» vesting in the city and surrounding districts a large area of country for forestry, recreational, and water conservation purposes. He appealed to councillors to take no action in the matter of withdrawing from the board. To withdraw would provoke ill-feeling with the other local bodies, and w,ould mean nothing at all, for even if. the Water Board adopted a scheme of supply the borough could abstain from taking part in it. Councillor Fisher said that .ie had made up his mind and could not withdraw his motion. The borough could very well leavo the Water Board and still remain on friendly terms with other, local bodies., The withdrawal of Lower Hutt and Petone 'iad meant that the cost would be increased to those left in, if the board did eventually obtain water. Eastboume'could get its water far cheaper and far quicker by withdrawing from the board. He moved in that direction. Councillor J. F. Roekstrow seconded the motion. No good purpose would be served, he thought, by remaining in the board any longer for with Petone and Lower Hutt out and Upper Hutt likely to. withdraw also, the cost of water would Be.prohibitive. He asked whose feelings ivould be hurt-by Eastbourne's withdrawal. The opinion of Councillor W. F. Hornig was that it was'rather early to withdraw. The council had no scheme of its own, and until it got one it should stay its hand. Councillor B: W. Wise said he could not see that the motion would help in any way. The council should get :i scheme of its own before withdrawing. Councillor S. G. Shearer asked how much it cost the borough to belong to tho board. The Mayor replied that they had to pay about £45 per annunl for forestry purposes and that fhc local bodies whieii had withdrawn still had to- pay their share. They could escape it only by A6t of Parliament. Councillor Fisher maintained that the borough vould have, to withdraw some time, wlfen the Water Board started to supply water. Why riot withdraw now? Mr. Jones: "When the scheme comes before the board you'll-decide whether to be a party to it or not." Councillor Fisher: "Well, your Worship, I don't, think I'll be alive when a scheme does come up. The motion was put to the meeting and lost. Another motion, also moved by' Councillor Fisher, that the Water Committee of the council (consisting of four members) be cancelled, and that the council as a whole ,bo constituted a'Water Committee, was carried. The first meeting of the council as the Water Committee will take place next Thursday evening, when the council will : discuss the water question thoroughly, with special reference to a, means of obtaining water to be submitted by Councillor Fisher, and to a suggestion by the firm that sank Petone's artesian wells, that they should sink a (i : inch trial bore for Eastbourne.