WATER STORAGE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume 5, Issue 765, 4 April 1884, Page 2

WATER STORAGE.

At Wednesday evening's meeting of the Borough Council, Mr. Leslie, captain of the Fire Brigade, attended as a deputation to urge on the Council the need for providing means for storing water for fire prevention purposes. He suggested that, as an experiment, a well should be sunk, say, 12ft deep, with two drives in different directions, say 20ft. The cost would be about £10. The Mayor said he had intended to move in the matter at this meeting of the Council. Mr. Leslie said he had been trying the depth of the wells, and found that the water level at present was about 13ft from [ the surface. The Major moved, That a well be sunk at the corner opposite Donnelly's shop, and that drives be put in for the storage of water for fire prevention purposes ; the work to be done under supervision of the engineer. This was what he had advocated fro_i the first, and although Mr. " Wanderer " sneered at him for not having brought the matter lorward but haviug gone for the big scheme, the fact was that Mr. Thomson and others insisted upon having i-100 spent in procuring plans for a large scheme, aud when the elaborate plans were obtained, he (the mayor) went for the largest plan as the best. Then Councillor Lynch insisted on having rams, and had a committee appointed, but he had no information to bring before the committee, nor had he ever obtained any. He (the mayor) had simply bided his time, and he was glad that public opinion was sensible enough to come round to his first idea. j Councillor Wiuks asked where the Mayor intended to pnt the well ? The Mayor — On the footpath, opposite i Donnelly's. Councilor Winks — That would be merely setting a trap for people to fall in. The Mayor said the same thing was done in Christchurch. Councillor Caplen seconded the resolution, because he thought it was time the council did something instead of forever discussing the question. He thought, however, that Mr. Leslie's estimate wa3 rather under the mark, especially considering that in loamy soil such as that found in Hawera the drives would have to be timbered, more particularly considering the traffic over the well. In connection with this matter he might mention a scheme suggested by Mr. Barleynian in the columns of the Star. That gentleman had been recentlyinHawera,and had promised on his return to Blenheim to send plans a 8 complete as possible. He understood that Mr. Barleyman's scheme would fit in with any except that of gravitation, and that if it were carried out for £200, a never ending supply might be secured at au elevation of 40 feet. The idea he understood was to have tanks on a raised platform, and also others at street corners underground so that if one set gave out in case of emergency, there would be others available. Councillor Lynch said the Mayor had told them that the public were coming round to his scheme. Would the Mayor tell them what his scheme was, because he (Councillor Lynch) had not yet heard of it, unless it was the big scheme to cost £25,000. The Mayor-I shall have a reply directly. Councillor Winks thought the Mayor discourteous in not answering the question. The Mayor said Couucillor Lynch must either be very ignorant or very forgetful, or he would know that when he first addressed the burgesses when standing for the mayoralty he said he was not inclined to go in for a big scheme, but had suggested that for fire prevention purposes wells should be sunk in certain localities, but as the Star had remarked the other day, that idea was ridiculed. Councillor Lynch said he was thankful for the explanation ; but he went on to complain that though it had been arranged that the committee should go out to Mr. Lysaght's to see the hydraulic ram at work, thd- Mayoi made excuses and would not go. Then it was said it was he (Councillor Lynch) who was to blame. He went on to urge that wells would be useless, because they would most likely be dry when required. He also suggested that if a man wanted to burn his place, it would be easy to cut the hose or injure the engine so as to make them useless in connection with an underground supply. In answer to Councillor McCutchan, Mr. Leslie thought a well such as he suggested would hold 5000 gallons, and the engine could pump from 15 to 20 gallons a minute. Councillor Duff thought the deep wells would not answer, because in a dry season, when their efficiency should be certain, they would probably be least useful. Councillor Adamson said there was a well in his yard 32ft. deep, and he had seen it dry. However, he had no objection to the experiment. The Mayor thought the majority of the Council were with him. His objection to the ram system was that he could not see where the water was to come from. As to going to Mr. Lysaght's, he had expressed a willingness to go ; but then Councillor Lynch looked at the sky and | said there was going to be rain, and strangely "it looked like rain" very often. Councillor Lynch — It is a falsehood that you are stating. The Mayor — We cannot allow this language. I must insist on Councillor Lynch apologising. Councillor Lynch — I apologise to you in this way : that I put you right The Mayor — This is not the first time that you have used such language. Still, one can make allowance for you. After some further remarks from the mayor, the motion was agreed to.