CORRESPONDENCE.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3222, 9 January 1917, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

OUR WATER SUPPLY. (To the Editor.) Sir,—l was glad to read the Rev. Mr Coats'- letter in your last issue, and I hope "the Council will, at its' meeting, go into the matter thoroughly and give the ratepayers the relief they .are. entitled to. 1 understand the Tourist Department is getting water, free of charze, for the bowling green and Park Reserve, using two inches out of a total supply of three inches on the Eastern Terrace. This of course, at once takes away the pressure and the unfortunate ratepayers, who have to foot, -the bill, are left without enough for domestic purposes and water for the gardens is conspicuous by its absence. I wouid suggest that the Department's ' supply be curtailed to one-half; -rffat the dayman turn the water on at a suitable time, and then lock the supply off so that the water won't be wasted and a certain amount of justice be meted out to the ratepayers. At present an unnecessary amount is being used and I cannot see why the Department should not pay for the water like anyone else. It has .put up the price of bowls to the deiTimeait of Ihe town and we can all rest assumed that no concessions. Willi be given the public. That being m make the Department pay for the water. Water is being used for ma* ■-chinery and other trade purposes and the ratepayers were given to understand that, if there was a shortage At anytime, the special supplies wouldbe cut off so as to enable water id'be supplied for Dome-sife ing gardens and ed on. f A large waste goes' on jM the persons entitled lo a sperialr supply by not turning the water o# when done wiih ami by certain jifeople having their hoses going at tjfe wrong hour. Where is our Inspector?- Why does he not prosecute Ave offenders? It goes on year after year and nothing is done and does' the Council expect the ratepayers <so pay the rates when they are me that the fbsition is that the corporation has .to supply the water and the ratepayers pay the rates. In a nutshell, "No water; no pay.' We are taxed 2s 3d in the £ for rates now and have to carry the water and also the gas loans, and I am not' in favour of getting nwich further into debt. The Council can regulate the present supply to give the public relief at a moderate price. The Acetylene gas has been a failure, but with a loan over the plant and so on we cannot do much just now to rectify matters. The Council should have a supply of water for the lower part of the •nvn and a separate service for the Terrace and this might solve the present difficulty. There is one thing certain that the ratepayers are not wi'lins: to let matters drift any longer. Trusting the matters re'erred* will be fully diiu-serl and settled.. I am, etc, A RATEPAYp. Queenstown, 8/1/17. ' - .'