WAIHIRERE.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 808, 24 January 1903, Page 3

WAIHIRERE.

(To the Editor Gisborne Times.)

De Lisle says that there was ample water at Waihirere for the needs of the town when he visited 'it just before the rain. Ilis Worship the Mayor told us at the last Couneil meeting that, when he visited Waihirere just before the rain with Dr De-Lisle, there were quite 30,000 gallons a day (lowing then ; so I take it that this is the quantity of water Dr DeLislc says, in nis opinion, is ample for this town. Mr Mcstayer has told us that we require an allowance of - at least thirty-gallons per head, which would amount to one hundred and fifty It-tiousand gallons per day. Auckland uses forty gallons per head, and lias to economise. I have ascertained that Napier uses about forty-three gallons per head. We have a population of about live thousand, so the flow of 30,000 gallons a day would mean the modest contribution of six gallons a day lor the present population, to say nothing about our future population, which is not in tho reckoning. I wonder ii the doctor gave it as Ills opinion in Napier that six gallons a day instead of 43, were sufficient for their requirements, what would the Napier folk say or think ? 1 stated at the Council meeting the other evening that the Waihirere flow would not keep the Gisborne I' rce/.ing Company going in water, let alone

the whole town, and upon enquiry i find that this statement is quite correct, for, at the present time, __ they are using between 40,900 and 50,0(10 gallons of water a day. The hulk, if not the whole of this, would he taken from .the Borough, if it was able to supply it. Their boilers alone use ID.llUo' gallons a day, and just before the rain came, their works were so hard pressed for water, even after condensing all the waste steam hack into water, that they, could only have been able to carry on at considerable extra expense quite incommensurate with the necessity, and they, are by force of circumstances now compelled to use salt .water for a number of

things which they would much prefer to use fresh water for, if it was available even by paying for it, .Surely, sir, it is time for us to pause, and to treat with contempt the opinions of officers when they say that Waihirere is a sufficient supply for our town, Do we want to stop or throttle industries and manufactures of all kinds which should and certainly would spring up in our town '? If so, the town is going the proper way about it by adopting Waihirere, for even Mr Mestayer himself has told us that Waihirere ‘will not give any Water for power purposes, and any scheme which does not give an ample supply for power and manufacturing purposes is not worth having. In fact, as prudent ratepayers, we ought not to entertain it,, Eor it is our duty, to and we should foster and look for a substantial revenue from manufacturing industries, by being in a position to at all times keep them well supplied with water, and so help to pay and reduce the cost of water to the ordinary householder. 'l'ake for instance, the large boiler and machinery Messrs Mackrell and Colley arc erecting at their yards. If Waihirero is adopted, this plant cannot depend on being supplied with water by, the Borough, I would like to point out that it would take sixteen Waihireres to keep Napier supplied with water tp-day ; they have a j)opulatiou of 10,950* and havo to keep their pumps going regie larly for eight hours every day (holidays included), unless in the ease ol fire, when the pumps work extra time, lifting GO.OUU gallons per hour, or 480,000 ‘in a day of eight hours at a cost, let me say, ol the modest sum of £693 per aunum, with engines costing (including erection) £3,500, So you see, Napier would pump Waihirere dry in the first half-hour. Of course the supporters of Waihirere harp hack on to the dam (not reservoir) holding a supply from one season to another, winch it will never do, for it will disappear into the earth, as Mr Stafford did when he (as a strong supporter of Waihirere, but subsequently a staunch opponent) went to inspect the site of the dam, tor whilst walking within half a chain of the site, on what appeared to be solid ground, the crust gave way, and let him. down up to the armpits with a very unkind bump, into an underground watercourse. But supposing the dam did hold ! Woulu Dr DeLisle tell us what the quality of the water would be after being stored behind the dam from one season to another, and bearing in mind that tho .water remains stagnant, that there is no artificial bottom for the water, and that there are now abundance of eels there and also a nice little raupo swamp, which would be covered by, the water if held by the dam ? „ . Sir, it is idle to say that Waihirere will do for us as a water supply. According to Mr Mcstayer, there would during this dry weather be a shortage of 120,000 gallons a day, from the present population, and, if wc used the same quantity per head as the Napier people, there would be a shortage of 185,000 gallons a da-y—----and more in the case of firCj ,What would happen if there was a serious fire in tho middle of a dry summer, and there were only 30,000 gallons in twenty-four hours going behind the dam, and our local fire-engine was drawing 36,000 gallons per hour, which is its capacity ; and every hour the fire-engine works it would use more than twenty-four hours catchment, I would again earnestly ask the ■ratepayers to bestir themselves m this matter, and not sit idly by, trusting to officers. The ratepayers have their liabilities and responsibilities in the matter ; therefore, let them do their duty by waking up ana understanding the position before it is too late to repent—for both the Council and ratepayers seem to be trusting too much to officials - , who, after all, arc only human, and not infallible, and have not to pay .the piper.—l am, etc., r ~, ,W. DOUGLAS LYSNAR,

(To the Editor Gisborne Times.) ,Sir,—Re Waihirerc. Is it not a mistake to parade before us the fact that Dr De Lisle declares that there is sufficient water at Waihirerc ? As one who wants to see water brought in from somewhere, lam satisfied to abide by lhe engineers as to quantity • by the doctors for quality. But kind as it is of Dr De. Lisle to give his opinion as to quantity, it only weakens the case. If we are to depart from engineering op mi on, the practical layman (such as Mr W. lb Lysnar) must always be taken in front of one who is more at home m his study than among the hills. As for the £IOOO idea, the Council that accepted such a proposal would be deserving, and would receive from the ratepayers the strongest censure,— I am, etc., » NO TAIHOA,