FOUNTAIN IN SEA

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 118, 15 November 1945, Page 8

FOUNTAIN IN SEA

PLAN FOR ORIENTAL BAY

EVENING WIND'RECORD

The City Council has decided, subject to the consent of the Wellington Harbour Board, to erect the electric coloured fountain. formerly at the Centennial Exhibition in the harbour at Oriental Bay, 300 or 400' feet from the bathing pavilion. »

The chairman of the reserves committee, Councillor R. L. Macalister, said that the fountain which had been so fine a feature of the exhibition had since been stored at the corporation yard. Now that the war was over a real effort should be made to brighten up the city which he thought, compared poorly with Christchurch in several respects. He recalled that the proposed site for the fountain had been the subject of legislation in 1938. when a local Bill had been passed authorising the erection of a fountain in Oriental Bay.

Councillor Macalister said that he thought it possible that the work could be done out of this year's vote, but otherwise provision would have to be made in next year's estimates. At a distance of 320 feet the depth of water was 8 feet and at 400 feet it was 10 feet, so that there should be no difficulty in that regard. The city engineer (Mr. K. E. Luke) expressed doubt whether the fountain could be erected this year. Unfortunately the Exhibition Company had selected a fountain, which was not suitable for salt water, and the equipment would have to be adapted for the proposed location; fresh water would have to be used and probably the sprays would have to be amended to give a cascade effect rather than a tall spray.

Mr. Luke said that in view of probable criticism of the location, the records of the Air Department, taken daily at Rongotai over 14 years, were very interesting. Between the hours of 5 and 9 p.m. there were 54 per cent, of summer evenings when the breeze did not exceed 10 miles an hour; 64 per cent, in autumn; 72 per cent, in winter and 60 per cent, in spring; or for the year round, 63 per cent. That meant that on 230 evenings of the year the breeze would be not more than 10 miles an hour and such a breeze would not carry spray over the distance proposed.

In answer to a question from Councillor W. H. Stevens, the Mayor (Mr. Appleton) said that the amount of electricity required woud be very small. He suggested that the city engineer, the chief engineer of the Harbour Board, and the general Manager of the Electricity Department should discuss the whole matter in detail.