CORRESPONDENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 144, 15 December 1933, Page 8

CORRESPONDENCE

WATER FOR GARDENS

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—l beg the favour of a little o£ your space to draw attention to a matter that is agitating the hearts of many local citizens who, for personal pleasure or as a result of the hard times, "are keen 'gardeners —the ban on hosing. At present hosing is prohibited to all but those whose water supply is metered, and :no doubt, as in previous summers, hosing with or without a meter will shortly be banned. This fiat presses hardly upon many who cannot afford the outlay entailed in installing meters, such as relict workers, who are compelled to grow vegetables, and many other workers who are on or near the bread-line. These restrictions render gardening practically impossible, especially .in sandy localities, for iv such localities the water-ing-can does more harnl than good, as experienced gardenerfj. will testify. As for as I know, Wellington is the only large centre in which hosing is so rigidly, prohibited;, and'in view of the statements by the City Council that the water supply is adequate, and '■ of the thousands of pounds that have been spent on it, "one wonders why this should be. The necessity for the prohibition might jbe understood if there were a serious I water shortage; but the reservoir shows no evidence of such a ' shortage—on the contrary, there is a huge overflow going to waste. It is suggested that the reason for the prohibition is that hosing tends 'to lower the water pressure, and consequently necessitates the use of additional power for pumping. If residents were permitted to hose their gardens during certain periods—say an hour in the morning and in the evening—the additional power would 1 be required for only a short'time and the benefits to gardens would be incalculable. The periods could be arranged to suit the Waterworks Department. l Can you please tell me,. Mr. Editor,-the legal position with regard to the use of water? -It would seem,from the layman's point of view, that; the ratepayer pays for his water through . the. rates, and that jhe cannot reasonab]y~-except iti times of j serious shortage, which , has not" bMB proved to exist at preteen'fc^-be prohibfffd from using water, for' anjr legitimate purpose. - . ... ■■; ■;. .'/'■■ ■ r;?'i-.-r - The present dry weather is playing havoc with gardens, alike of the, relief worker who depends on vegetables'for a large proportion of his family's food,- and of the citizen who appreciates the beauty of flowers. An announcement that hosing will %c permitted during , stated • .^houra would be an acceptable Christmas present from the City Corporation, both-to the men on the breadline, and to holiday visitors with an eye for beautiful gardens. I tiust ythat others will take up this matter and commence an agitation which I feel will result in the council meeting the position in the way suggested.—l am, etc., RATEPAYER.