FREE WATER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 47, 7 February 1928, Page 8

FREE WATER

SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO SCHOOLS NAPIER COUNCILLORS’ VIEWS. The question as to whether schols should be supplied with free water was briefly discussed at the meeting of the Napier Borough Council last evening, when the Rev. Father Murphy wrote asking that the council charge the Marist Brothers’ School on the same basis as the State primary schools. The writer also mentioned that the consumption, according to the meter was 247,000 gallons for the six months ending June 30, yet v*en a new dial was installed in the meter, the reading for the next six months was only 25,000 gallons. The school was being charged full rates, 100,000 gallons at 1/6 and 147,000 gallons at 1/3. whereas bowling clubs were charged 9d per 1000 gallons and State primary schools 2d per 1000, after other concessions, “There should be no charge whatever to schools,’’ declared the Mayor (Mr J. Vigor Brown). “With all the machinery for health, suoh as the Health Department and doctors, we should make no charge for the encouragement of healthy ways. They all do their part, and it is our part not to charge for water. Let them keep their faces and bodies dean and there will be no need for all this machinery. We should start at the bottom of the ladder by giving free water for all schools, including Sunday schools.’’ “I quite agree with you,” supplemented Cr W. G. Martin. The Mayor explained that there would be no waste if spring-top taps were installed. In moving that the matter be referred to the Waterworks Committee and the engineer. Cr. J. C. Bryant remarked: “I think the discrimination between two schools is very wronir and should be remedied.” The motion was carried.