THE WATER SUPPLY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LI, Issue 9067, 12 April 1906, Page 8

THE WATER SUPPLY.

INCREASED CHARGES TO OUTSIDE! USERS. NUMEROUS REFUSALS Tv PAY. On March 14 last the following circular "was sent to all consumers <m the extraordinary water supply by the Town Clerk : "As the result of a general inspection of j all extraordinary wateT supply services, it has been decided to increase the charge-; this to take effect from April 1, 1906. Should you not oe satisfied with this amended chaTge the Council mil give you the option of putting in a. meter amid paying on actual consumption at the rate of Is 3d per 1000 gallons as provided by the Borough by-laws/ A number of 'letters, nearly all objecting to the extra rate and coming from Okaiawa residents were Tead out at the meeting of the Borough Council on Wednesday night. Mr J. H. Stevens advised that the increased charge of £4 per annum for the water supply to the post office, Okaiawa, had besen agreed to. Mr .Thomas Walsh renewed an objection to the new scale of charges, which he considered excessive. He was prepared to pay £3 a year, which he thought, sufficient fox the amount he iised. — (His amount had been risen from £2 to £4.) Mr R. H. Nolan wrote that he would be glad to have a meter puit in his paddock. Mrs Chtistensen, Okaiawa, who formerly paid £2 annually wrote: "I object to pay the extra charge of £1 10s as stated in your notice." Mr Michael Kelly, South road, Hawera, offered £1 5s per year and stated that if the Council were not willing to accept that they could cut the water off as he could do without it. [Mr Kelly's former Tate was £2 7s 8d per year and the mew scale would bring it to £2 10s.] Mr D. Robb, blacksmith, Okaiawa, refused to pay the increase. He had always considered he paid dearly (£4 a year) for all he used. Mr T. L. Joll notified' the Council that he would do without the water at las stable. "I cannot afford 1 to- pay £5 per annum to water one team of horses when two 40frgallon tanks wiH answer tihe purpose" was a passage in the letter. Messrs Beaiy Dodd and' Benjamin Phillips flatly decflajued to pay the extra amount. Mr F. A. Bremer also declined as he considered the charge exorbitant. He added: "As your by-laws allow thanaemonths notice I presume I may claim that tame to make other arrangements.' ' Mr James Bailey's letter was brief. It ran,: "I have decided not to pay increased water-rate on shop and paddock." Mr W. S. Jones* (Okaiawa) letter ran as follows : "I consented' to take the water on the distinct understanding that £2 a yea* was to be Hh& fixed rate and we could have as many taps and use as- much water as we liked. To raise the price on me now that I have gone to the expense of laying pipes is a grave breach on the pait of the Council. The charge of £3 is altogether excessive for the quantity of water I use and out of proportion to that charged to other consumers. My household consists of three rooms; we use tank water for the washing, bathing, etc., and well water ' for cooking and drinking purposes, while anoither household, here, consisting of 12 persons and using the supply water exclusively, are paying the same rate as I am. With regard to your offer of a meter I will accept the same if you will bear the expense of it, and I don't intend to go to any further expense. If you are not propared to do that you can discontinue my supply or if you "are prepared to supply me for 30s a year you <?an do so, as the quantity I use a year must be considerably below 10,000 gallons. I only had it installed under persuasion of your clerk." Mr G. R. Campbell Raikes, whose rate was to be increased from £3 to^ £12 10s, asked for a solid assurance that tihe charge would be permanent. He thanked tine Council for the atSernative of being allowed to pay by meter, about which he asked for further information. The letter continued : "I may state with reference to my becoming a customer of the Council that it was not my seeking. When the course of the pipes was being decided I asked several members of the then Council if it would lie across my land, and was informed that, as land-owners who had already been approached to let the pipes be laid through their land had "opened their mouths so wide," the Council had decided to lay the pipes alongside the road, though it would have saved them perhaps £1000 to go through my land, and also saved the kink in th*> pipes at the Skeet road corner. So I abandoned all thought of applying to the Council, who' had then plenty of funds, and did not require revenue. To my great surprise I was waited on by the. Town Clerk and Borough Foreman on August 20, 1901. who were out on an expedition canvassing settlers to agree to be connected, as the Boroughwanted revenue — all the revenue, they could get — the water was going to waste, and the Council had pipes and taps in stock, and would connect me at cost. Further, as the pressure was so low at this elevation, and the engineer in charge recommended the connectionsad positively beneficial to the pipes on the high leveL I struck a bargain with the Town Clerk for connection, and authorised installation costing £28 odd, and 30s per annum was to be the rate. After paying for the above I got notice to pay £3 per annum, and the Town Clerk explained that the Council would not confirm his bargain, "but fixed the latter raibe of £3 per annum. The service was so bad and so intermittent that I was x obliged to spend £?5 additional to get any use from the service at all on dry or warm days by providing a tank at the house and* troughs in the paddocks, so as to store enough water at night for use during the day. Since the pressure lias improved I have incurred more than £50 in installations on the strength really of the Council's first bargain, the plea that the rates might be raised was brought up after the rates were agreed upon. I heartily admit that the water service is a great and very acceptable convenience, but by no means a necessity, so that while I would most cheerfully agree to a reasonable increase of rate for the better service, seeing that the Council lias been at great trouble and' expense, there is a limit in value, and it would pay btter to spend another £50 or even £75 to bring up what water I require from the Kapnni, which runs tHrough my farm, with, a hydraulic ram, and have the plant as an appreciable asset, than to pay away large sums annually for' tfhe present service, and €hen the Council would lose the revenue which it now gets without outlay.. For am outlay of a little over £5 I could lift enough water for the

closets from the stream close to the house, and most likely will do so even if I pay by meter, so' that with rain water and two wells and three creeks besides the river the Council's water is simply an agreeable luxury." Cr Wilson moved, Tliat those objecting to pay he given notice that the water will be- cut-off. Cr Brunette thought it would be well to hold a special meeting, first, to see if the course would be advisable. He was. at the same time, in sympathy with the resolution. Or Sargestvn seconded ihe motion. He said the Council should adhere to its former resolution.. The town would get the benefit of the .extra pressure if tihV.se people wera cut off. The motion was carried. Cr Goodson asked if such consumers as the Hawera Dairy Co. and Mr J. K. Cameron would have to instal meters. I The Mayor said they would, to avoid being cut off, -according- to resolution.