BOROUGH REQUESTS MADE TO MR. SEMPLE

Grey River Argus, 3 May 1949, Page 6

BOROUGH REQUESTS MADE TO MR. SEMPLE

A full report was being prepared by the Housing Department and would be available very shortly, said the Minister of Works, the Hon. R. Semple to a deputation from the Greymouth Borough Council, yesterday,' when assistance was requested with the Cobden sewerage scheme. When the position was more clearly delined he would send his officers to confer with the Council. There was a moral obligation on the Government to assist in the special circumstances. They did not subsidise sewerage schemes, but this one was due largely to State housing construction. the Mayor, Mr. F. F. Boustridge, told the Minister that the Council felt that the whole cost of the Cobden scheme would be too heavy fox’ the residents. Greymouth was unlikely to load itself with the cost, as they' were paying off their own scheme. the outfall to the Grey Rivei’ would cost £lB,OOO, and if this were provided by the Works or Housing Department, the rest of the scheme would not be difficult The septic tank would prove inadequate if more State houses were erected. VALLEY WATER SCHEME A request that the Minister should favour the construction of an intake at Roaring Meg Creek to provide sufficient capacity for the Grey Valley water scheme for Greymcruth, Brunner and Blackball was made by Mr. Boustridge. With the norma] development of Greymouth the £25,000 water pumping scheme now authorised would be sufficient for only ten to twelve years, and, as there was ample water at Roaring Meg, it was felt that the intake should be large enough' to make provision for the future linking up of Greymouth. Mr. Semple said the Gcey Valley scheme would cost £231,000 and the annual cost would be £1 per head of population. He was not asking for that scheme, but that the intake should provide for it, said the Mayor. Mr. Semple agreed that provision should be made for the future. Greymouth would be prepared to ng for the enlarged intake, said Mr.’ Boustridge. Mr. Semple said that the cost for the Blackball scheme was £9,500 and for the major undertaking £39,000, with a 16-irich diameter. He would discuss th e matter with his colleagues, said the Minister. There was some merit in the suggestion, but they could not think about the £231,000 job. “I believe in looking ahead to what Greymouth and the Grey Valley will be like in fifty years,” hg added.