HIGH-PRESSURE WATER SUPPLY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 14201, 25 October 1906, Page 9

HIGH-PRESSURE WATER SUPPLY.

There was a small attendance at Iseb evening’s public meeting in the Manchester Chambers to urge the desirableness of a high-pressure water supply! The City Council was represented by Councillors Orchard, Cooper, Allison and Gapes. Dr Bussell, president of the Burgesses’ Association and convener of the meeting, occupied the chair. He thanked the City Council for acceding to the invitation to bp present at the meeting. Interest in municipal matters was not keen, and the citizens did not realise the importance of Christchurch. There were mauy directions in which progress could be made and the most important was to provide a high-pressure water supply. If the citizens would not provide the money to carry out municipal necessities, the Council, in His opinion, should have the power to obtain the money. He moved —“ That this meeting views with pleasure the action of the City Council in the matter of a high-pressure water supply, aid urges upon it the of promptly formulating a comprehensive highpressure water system, to be submitted at the earliest possible date for the approval of the ratepayers.” Mr A. Williams seconded the motion. Mr Gapes said that the Council had been in favour of the proposal, but the ratepayers were lax, and prepared to reject any scheme for spending a large sum of money. There was no doubt, however, that as the city grew the larger projects would be carried out. Councillor Orchard said a sub-com-mittee of the Council had in hand the question of a water scheme. Sydenham’s was not a baby scheme, and had done very well, over 200 ; 000 gallons of water having been supplied from it at the fire in the railway goods shed. The city was nearly £250,000 in debt, and with another £IOO,OOO loan for drainage, the total would be a rather heavy load for the ratepayers, but the provision of a high-pressure water supply would be sufficiently remunerative to bear its own weight. Councillor Cooper said no nopou uliiat the high-pressure supply would be assured by next June, before the enforcement of connection with the mam sewer. The cost of installing a supply from an artesian scheme would he about £45,000, and the Council would arrange to change at any time from artesian to river supply. ■Councillor Allison advocated a system such as Sydenham’s. , . Others spoke to the motion, and it was carried.

THE WELLINGTON FIRE. TO THE EDITOR. . Sir.—The futility of locking the stable door after the steed is stolen is proverbial. In all probability Chiistchurch will experience a fire as disastrous in its effects as that which did such terrible damage a day or two ago in the Empire city, arid then when everybody is bewailing the catastrophe, the advantages of a high-presure watersupply will come homo to us with a force they have never possessed before. Had the water held out in Wellington, the mischief would have been limited in its extent. How can we hope, situated as we are, to escape lightly if a really serious fire should break out here? Why, with a roaring, howling nor’-wester, such as we are accustomed to during tho summer months in this place, half the city might be reduced to heaps of smoking ruins in a very little time! The fact is ; our City Council is lamentably deficient in enterprise and energy. What will Exhibition visitors think of our incessant dust storms, destructive to health, to merchandise, to clothing and bo comfort. People hailing from up-to-date centres will stand amazed at our apathy and indifference. It is high time our City Councillors resigned en masse and made way for men of more advanced ideas and with energy to deal with these public questions affecting the welfare of the city as they ought to be dealt with. A high-pres-sure water supply for Christchurch is a crying want.—l am, etc., PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —As wo are all anxious to have this‘dust nuisance dealt with as effectively as possible tliis Exhibition summer, may I, through your paper, suggest to the city engineer, or those in power, that.-the streets be watered at night or very early in the morning? Then the water would have time to soak in, stiffen the surface and bind the stones that are rising. When put on in the daytime the dry air and the sun take up the moisture before it has had time to do much good. Of course, salt water would be better than fresh, but I suppose that is out of the question. "Wmle our visitors are here, and the reputation of the city is at stake, it would be well to put on two or three shifts at the water-carts in dry weather and keep them going. If the water supply is not sufficient, surely it might be got from the river with a centrifugal pump or other device in a central place.—l am, etc., J. 0. WABY.