WATER TO THE PORT AND TOWN OF PORT CHALMERS.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1993, 24 September 1869, Page 2

WATER TO THE PORT AND TOWN OF PORT CHALMERS.

To the Editor of the Eoeninq Star, Sir, —In your leader of the 9th inst. you refer to the evils aiising from changes in the constitution of representative bodies, and refer to the town of Port Chalmers as an instance, whose representatives ha I rejected a measure favourably entertained by their immediate pr dooessors, the introduction of water to the port and tmyq. This question has met with the desired attention' i f the present magistrates, their predecessors, and the town fMk) who are all very sensible of tbe advantages pointed out by you and a few more, the abundance of would yield to them, over and above the spup to ti ade, shipping, &c., to follow. It is true a proposition was laid b. fore the Town Council in the mouth of March to sup. ply water to the town and port for LB,OOO when a committee was appointed to consider and report thereon. The committee learned from the proposer that he considered George street the town. The committee concluded his proposal withdrawn, gave in no report to the Town Council, nor was any asked or expected. On further talk with the proposer, he, in addition to his former idea of the town, added a portion of Mount Cray and Beach streets, but the committee, or some of them, thought that George street, even with these additions added, formed only about one-sixteenth part of the town, and declined to move in the matter. Further talk ensued, and the proposer offered, to draw plans, specifications, superintend, and car y out the whole works, of course, to his satisfaction ; and this would save the town L4OO for plans, specifications, and inspectors ; and in addition to this, when the works were completed, he would pay the Town Council 1/200 a year, as long as they liked, for the right of the jetty water, or he would, when all was completed, lease the whole fop LSOO a year, which revenue would cover interest on de bentures. (The proposal was payment by debentures.) This limiting the size of the Town to George street, and the additions added to it of portions of Mount, Gray, and Beach streets—that, with other propositions aside from the written proposal of the Sth qf March, is all outside and idle talk. To supply tfye whole town and port of Port Chalmers with water for LB.OOU is the prqposal of that date, to which the Town Council may reasonably add L 2,000 for land and contingencies. Do you think the fqnper and present Town Council aud the inhabitants of Fort Chalmers,. acted unwisely in dealing that proposal ? We, the residents qf the Port, ape truly thankful Port Chalmers is not situated as you describe Amsterdam to be, where gin and water used to be at one price With a little foresight sufficient supply of rani water may be saved for domestic use. Half the residents in the mean-

time would decline using any other, and many more would demur to pay a heavy assessment, for heavy it would be ; our numbers of all ages being only about one thousand. Generally we are content with the blessings we have, until our numbers and other wants increase to warrant the erection water works. Our Mayor and the majority of bis Council are business men, and will not unnecessarily burden the whole of tiie inhabitants of the town for the benefit of a few; besides, wc believe, when water is reallv required, it may lie with little trouble, and with half the cost of the present scheme. This we shall refer to in another letter. Wm. Dalrymple. Port Chalmers,