WATER AND DRAINAGE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 64, 16 March 1911, Page 8

WATER AND DRAINAGE.

A FORWARD MOVE

IN FAVOR OF THE SCHEME

A representative meeting of business men who favor the Borough Council's water-supply and drainage proposal was held last night in Messrs Griffiths and Son's rooms, when the forthcoming poll on the proposal: to borrow £65,000 was discussed. The object of the meeting, as •explained by Mr E. Parker, who presided, was to place the exact position .before the ratepayers, and to contradict the untrue statements which were being made by those in opposition to the scheme, in the hope of defeating it. What was wanted was .a fair fight on this question, and for the issue to be decided upon its merits, and not be defeated or carried by misrepresentation. Mr A. Wiffen, in. replying to the plea for a gravitation scheme, said that those who were advocating it wei«e hardly consistent, inasmuch as thejr cried down the present scheme "the ratepayers could not afford it, and then turned right Tound and advocated something that Tvas beyond the ratepayers, in that it ■would cost an extra £29,000, and "then would not be maintained for "the same money as this scheme would. This was only another red herring ' .across the track of the present 'scheme. In reply to- Mr R. Allan, lie said thai that gentleman fancied the whole world was going to stand still because he had grown old. In regard to Councillor Adams, who- had "sumps and slumps" on the • brain, Mr Wiffen said that they had_J)een .told what would happen in the event <>f the town being flooded. He had . taken the trouble to' place this matter before Mr Dobson, and that gentleman had explained that if Councillor Adams' -#dntention. .sirere sound and,logical, "the same thing would apply to a gravitation scheme. As a matter of" fact Councillor Adams' assumed fears were' groundless as an automatic "cock" would prevent anything from coming out of the1 drain-pipes. Immediately the pipe was full the "cock closed, and nothing could get in or out until the pumps cleared the pipes. It would cost £29,000 to bring the water to the borough boundary from the Waihopal River, and then there would he the work of laying pipes thrjough the town. The gravitation eoheme ■would cost £4500 a year, as against £200,0 for the present scheme, and then they woulcl have neither pressure nor clean water..

The meeting appointed several ■committees to g0.,t0 work and place the exact position of the scheme before the ratepayers, and also to make arrangements for the following day. A strong fighting fund was established, and it was decided to endeavor to get Mr Dobson to come to Blenheim and deliver an address upon t^e scheme at an early date.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Our worthy Mayor's remarks in you.- issue of the l^th inst. anent "water-supply, etc., were instructive.His "Worship states that the Sydonham schemo is largely & facsimile of the proposed Blenheim undertaking. It will therefore prove > interesting at this stage if he will further explain:— <(a) The relative cost of electric motors as supplied from a destructor (Sydenham) and suction. gas power per . medium of coke or coal (Blenheim) ; i(b) how does the ratable population of Sydenham compare with, that of Blenheim? (c) Sydonham has 60-h.p. initially supplied from a destructor, and! 4000 connections to the system are in pie&ent use. Blenheim has 40-h.p. primary, supplied from coke or coal, assigned tor it, and to .serve'NOT MORE than 1000 connections (vide his Worship's remarks). .Will he explain the relative ratio1 of cost to the "ratepayers in these re•spective oases. ~(d) Finally,-the Mayorstates that the YARDMAN at the •■Sydenham works has successfully at- • tended to the ' oloctro-motors during the past nine years, their working expenses being thereby reduced to a minimum. How' will this compare .-with expert supervision and lahor required in connection with our proposed gas-prcducer plant? . ■ ~ ■:

W.J.E