CITY WATER SUPPLY

Evening Star, Issue 17327, 15 April 1920, Page 9

CITY WATER SUPPLY

+ ■■■■» ' INDEPENDENT REPORTS ORDERED. COMMITTEE ACCEPT POSITION. CHAIRMAN WAXES WARM. ,At first it appeared that Or Shacklock’s motion to secure independent reports from two local engineers on Jlanedin’s water supply would pass through the council without much debate. It was accepted by the Chairman {Or Green) almost withcut comment; but some stinging criticisms or the way the committee had handled the poll presented drew him into a warm defence and equally warm denunciation of the attacks launched by .the ‘Star.’ Cr Shacklock’s resolution was: “That the Water Committee be instructed to secure independent reports from two local engineers (a) on the possibilities of better conservation of the supplies within the present wrier catchment,areas, and/or (b) the adoption of for the augmentation of the existing City water supply. The following questions will serve as a basis for such reports: {ls Are the present intakes, races, and reservoirs in good order? If not, state what is necessary to reinstate them, with probable cost, (2! Can the storage in present catchment areas be increased? If so, at what estimated cost? (3) Is there any source of supply in the present catchment areas available and not already utilised? Indicate where and cost of. connection. (4) What further catchment areas can be utilised, with outline of system to be adopted and estimate of cost.” In moving this he said that he did

not nrish the resolution to bo construed . into a no-confidence vote on the Water Committee,, which it was not. He did not propose to say much, except that whatever measures for conservation or storage werejtaken it was only a matter of from five to 10 years when - ' another catchment vould be necessary. After all the statements made in the Press he thought it was highly necessary to have a report‘on the condition of the present intakes', races, and reservoirs. Personally he was not in agreement with all that had been written on tiiis question. The council were being blamed for not building immense reser yoirs at Leith Valley and elsewhere, but it was the Government that dictated the quantity to be stored, and they said the ground was no good for storing huge ’ quantities. The Government had all to do witn it, and when the reservoir was built in the Leith catchment the -Government restricted the holding capacity verv considerably. It was doubtful whether further storage could be got there. Other storage areas were mentioned. He had gone over one. and was afraid that to store in that locality would mean a very high bank, and in that wav a risk. Personally it was his opinion that the next catchment to be adopted would he the Lee Stream. However, there might be others and they needed expert advice. ’ Gr Bradley supported the resolution. He asked if “local engineer” meant the engineers of Otago. He had travelled a great deal over the water catchments, and he could not see wh§re there had been much waste of water. So far as the articles which had appeared in the papers were concerned, he did not think they need pay much attention to them, because the writer was not a good reader. If he was he would have seen in the Good Book the place that was reserved for those who did not stick to the truth. Cr Green supported the motion. tr Scott said he was surprised at the c..airman of the Water Committee sup_pnrtnig_ the motion, because he took it as ryi invitation, to him to resign his positu n. He was also surprised at Cr ShackJock interfering before the committee had had an opportunity of deliberating on it. inasmuch ‘ asTtHe~ chairman of " the Wider Committee had seen fit to "’accept the motion, he would do nothing more than oppose the motion. He looked upon it as mi insult to the cominittee, but would not n.Tye an amendment in the circumstances. Cr Wilson said the poll had been lost partly hv the violent opposition of expublic officers, who had fallen in his estimation considerably in connecting themselves _ with a pressman, and practically betraying tile confidence of the citizens in the way they had done. The suggestion that fie ratepayers had not been taken inti the confidence of the council in this matter was entirely by the way. because the whole question had been before the public for 10 years. Cr Hayward moved in amendment that the Water Committee bo, instructed to secure independent reports from two engineers in the Dominion. . This lapsed for want of a seconder. Cr Larnach said that at least one of the reports that had appeared was ‘ true. There was a' leakage. He did not say that the Water Committee were to blame'; but there was certainly water that could bo diverted into the race mentioned. Cr M’Donald said that the best thing in the circumstances would be for the chairman of the Water Committee and the members of his committee to resign, and let another committee go into the whole matter. If the writers in the newspapers during the last few weeks were correct, then the committee should not hold office. ■ In last night’s ‘ Star ’ there was another article, on the Leith-Waitati. Why had that not been answered? Cr .Green : We have not had an opportunity. Cr M‘Donald : The committee had an opportunity of answering the other articles and did not do so. Cr Wilson : We don’t take notice of them.

Cr - Donald : And that is why you were defeated at the poll. The whole thing, he said, was a very severe stigma on the committee and the engineer. It was a_ most unfortunate position they had got into, and it would be better if the motion were defeated and the chairman and committee resigned. They had lost touch with the ratepayers, and a proposal had been turned down that should not have been. There had been estranged relations between councillors and now there were estranged relations between the council and the public, so that if there were an election many af them would lose their seats. It was unfortunate that Cr Green had been away, but was there nobody else in the committee to clear the matter up ? If the position had been made clear the poll should not have been lost. ■ Cr Jeffery agreed that the council had failed badly*in not educating the public. Cr Walker said lhat if this motion was carried it was a severe indictment of their engineer, tor all the information asked should be already in the committee’s iiands. It was an indictment of both engineer and committee. Cr Jeffery : That is what was intended by Ihejmblic (in turning down the loan). Cr Walker continued that he voted against the Lee Stream proposal, for lie believed that there was sufficient water in and around Dunedin to supply Dunedin. He was certainly not in accord with Cr Shackloek’e proposal, and as to the Press criticisms, if the Press put in a report such as that of the night before, and it was wrong,-the Press could be indicted for it. It was put dearly enough, and the facts alleged, if true, should be in the possession of the committee now. He would move an amendment that the matter be referred to the Water Committee for report. If they were right they should have the opportunity of bringing in a report substantiated by their engineer. If the resolution was carried and the two engineers reported that there were further catchment areas, and the intakes were not right, it would be the most severe indictment of Mr M‘Curds that could be conceived, #nd he should not remain in his position., Cx Calder seconded the amendment. Cr Green, in speaking to- the amendment, said that the question of water had been under consideration for the past 10 years. Were councillors aware of the fact that legislation was passed enabling them to use the Lee Stream for domestic aq well as for pdwer purposes? They had had a report by Mr Hay on the matter, and could anyone point a finger at him

as a hydraulic engineer? In 1915, with their own. engineer, Mr Hay submitted a report to the effect that the Lee Stream was the source which should be drawn on. aha council adopted the report in 1916, but it was not gone on with simply because the war broke out. He supported the resolution because he was satisfied they would not get two engineers to find fi water supply within the , vicinity of Tlle y w 6iild have to go further u 6 ib , '^" s a S° k® bed spid that they f. have gone to Lake Wakatipu. The Mayor, Gr Bradley, and myself tramped the Leith Valley to-day for about threo nours to enable ns to answer that scurrilous thing that appeared in the Evening Star last night, and if the herd spares me you will find an answer to it to-morrow. These writers are talking without a particle of knowledge of what they are talking about. The tail: about catchment areas is all rot, and I will prove it up to the hilt.” Cr Walker’s amendment was lost by 4 votes to 6 and the motion carried.,