MANGAPOIKE WATER-SUPPLY PLAN: MAYOR PAYS TRIBUTE TO CONSULTANT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22915, 6 April 1949, Page 6

MANGAPOIKE WATER-SUPPLY PLAN: MAYOR PAYS TRIBUTE TO CONSULTANT

A GLOWING tribute to the services of the council’s consulting engineer, Air. G. F. Clnpcott, in connection with tlie designing and construction of the Mangapoike water-supply augmentation scheme, was paid by the Mayor, Air. N. 11. Bull, at last night’s meeting of the Gisborne Borough Council.

The council had had the advice of many engineers on its water problems, said Mr. Bull, but only Mr. Clapcott had discerned the full possibilities of the Mangapoike area, and in particular the possibility of linking up subsidiary ponding areas with the main reservoir. Plenty of Water for Borough The result of his labours would benefit not only the present generation of Gisborne people, but also the,generations unborn, for with the storage now available at Mangapoike there was no question of a lack of supply for the future. The council was still faced with the problem of getting enough water to Gisborne in drought periods, the Mayor added. That matter hinged of course upon the capacity of the pipeline, which was under consideration for future action. He referred to the inspection of the Mangapoike scheme undertaken by members of the council at the week-end and spoke in terms of satisfaction of the manner in which the contract had been carried through against a considerable number of handicaps. He considered that an inspection of the work would reward any Gisborne resident who undertook it in suitable weather.

Mr. Bull anticipated that the handover of the contract to the council would be made the occasion of a suitable function, but this could not be undertaken until settled weather had improved the access to Mangapoike. New Lake to be a Sanctuary The creation of the new lake at Mangapoike, by the construction of the waterworks dam, has offered a place of shelter to game birds"' in recent weeks, and this fact led Mr. R. Morse to propose that the reservoir be declared a sanctuary. Mr. Morse said that the council's staff had received inquiries as to shooting facilities on the reservoir, and he thought that the same steps should be taken to protect wild life there as on other borough reserves. Dr. A. L. Singer supported the proposal. citing, in addition to the desirability of preserving wild life, the possibility that shooting over the lake might lead to contamination of the water supply. The council agreed to take the necessary steps to create a sanctuary. The Mayor reported that no recent developments had occurred in respect to an inquiry for information as to suitable stocking of the reservoir with 1 fish.