ONERAHI WATER SUPPLY.

Northern Advocate, 23 July 1923, Page 7

ONERAHI WATER SUPPLY.

PROPOSAL FAVOURED,

BY PUBLIC MEETING,

ESTIMATED COST £0590,

The meeting called by the chairman of the Oncifchi Town Board, Mr J- E, Huir.ies, for July 19 in the Town Hall, was well attended by representative ratepayers. With the addition «f householders and ethers interested, well over 100 were present.

Mr J. E. Holmes took the chair 2nd> explained the object of the which was to consider and discuss the obtaining of a water supply for One' rahi. The township- was growing and tra* bound in the near future to have a greatly increased population.. To* « growing town a pure water supply wa» a matter of imperative necessity, both from a sanitary point of view.and as a convenience. Hardly » siraxmer passed without a scarcity of water in Onerahi and with increased numbers that evil would 1 be more manifest. An opportunity offered now of obtaining an adequate • supply of excellent quality at a reasonable cost, and he earnestly hoped the ratepayers would avail themselves of that opportunity. The chance was theirs for the taking and if lost now was not likely to occur again. As his hearers were aware, the Whangarei Borough Council contemplated carrying a supply pipe across the river at Whangarei and the proposal was that Onerahi should obtain its supply by connection with the borough mains, but—and this was the 'point—a water supply which might quite adequately answer the borough's requirements over the river would be altogether insufficient to supply Onerahi as well, j The Mayor and Borough Council were entirely sympathetic with Onerahi's aims, but before anything was done in the way of arrangements to connect, very naturally some sort of prior authority was sought from the people of Onerahi, and hence the object of this meeting. At the request of the Town Board, Mr J. McKinnon prepared ft scheme for obtaining.. a water supply. This, with the collaboration of the borough engineer end other experts was now complete and was submitted for the approval and adoption of the meeting. Briefly the scheme was as fol-/ lows:—

A water main to be laid from the Whangarei borough waterworks along the county road to the Onerahi post

office, a distance of five miles; fjrom there the water to be distributed throughout the Town District area by smaller mains, giving a minimum pressure of 701b to the square inch, with a delivery of 130,000 gallons per diem. This w*ould be sufficient for the requirements of -a population of 2000, allowing cach family of four persons 60 gallons per diem. Provision was also made, if increase of population warranted, for a service reservoir at the highest elevation of the town, near the homesteads of Messrs Hawkes and McKenzie, where water could be collected and connected to any part of the towii as required. Householders would be supplied with water, per meter, during the first year at a minimum cost of 6d per .1000 gallons; the charge for the second year would be increased to about 1/ per 1000 gallons. The cost of meters and laying of service pipes to residences within 25 yards of street or road boundaries was provided for out of the loan. It wtas estimated that some 80 householders in the Town District and 30 outside Onerahi were anxious to avail themselves of water installation to their premises as soon as the waterworks were in commission. The revenue received from the sale of w'ater to the railway and shipping, together with householders' and consumers' charges for meters, in addition to the non-consumers' rate collected, was estimated to meet the sum due for interest and repayment of the loan of £fs">oo required to carry out the scheme. It. was not anticipated, therefore, that it would be necessary to collect the special water rate of in the £1, which would be pledged as security for such loan. The cost of house service connection and installation would not be excessive. Baned on quotations and estimates from plumbing firms, the individual outlay per house would range from £5 to £7.

In concluding, the chairman strongly appealed for the approval of the scheme. He asked his hearers clearlv to understand that if they turned it clown now they need not expect to get such a chance again. The Whangarei Borousrh Council would not carry an adequate pipe service across the river unless Onerahi agreed to take a part of the supply. He moved the following resolution: —

"That this meeting of ratepayers and householders of Onerahi approve the proposed water service scheme for Onerahi as set forth in the proposals submitted by the Onerahi Town Board, at a meeting held on July 19, 1923."

Mr Winchester seconded the motion tin d congratulated the people of Onerahi on the spirit of progress evidenco,l by their consideration of the ouestion. Onerahi, as a marine suburb of WhangaTei, possessed great prospects. He was glad to see its people determined to make the most of such prospects, and the .great essential to a healthy town "mas a good water supply.

Mr J.' Cochran moved as an amendment that further consideration of the matter be deferred foT three months.

The amendment was scented bv Mrs Munro and being put to the meeting, secured only two votes, and the

original motion was carried, amid acclaim, on a show of hands. Mr Cleary asked from which spring in Whangarei the water would be obtained. The Chairman: "From Maunu." Mr Horn: "Will a meter be installed in every house?" The Chairman: "Yes, in the case of users. The Board proposes to put in the meters free of cost to the householders out of the loan money. - Mr Whimp also strongly advocated the obtaining of a water supply. He referred to Onerahi's annual summer shortage, with its attendant drawbacks, sanitary and otherwise. The question of water supply must be faced sooner or later. In his opinion the present chance of securing tho same was unique in the advantageous terms on which it could be carried out. He moved as follows: — 1 "That this meeting of ratepayers authorise the Onerahi Town Board to enter into negotiations with the Whangarei Borough Council for a permanent water supply from the borough waterworks, at th.e amended boundary of the Whangarei borough, on tho ■Whnnsjarei-Onerah'i-Parua Bay Boad, ov tV heft terms obtain I This was sccondcd by Mr J. Ilorn s'.nd carried.

Mr Winchester: "If 0. ■" ■■■ • approved wili the yatißf at ttai ing in any waj wwwt tibe en!" The Chains*: "Kit Ib'Mliß must be carried to a poB tetk*fto£ decision."' Mr D. Goekkßi amit meeting of ntqnjfen sad Town Board to tdstk vaBHKqF steps to raise a qieeUlauifßr tti t* tabtishmeut of wilmmiisfier in 'the terra cff the odtaßß by the Tow* ni «** mo,w** exceeding £5500."-BM«fci !• B. Tuner and earxxwL . The chairman tteaWt tlB» |«w® for their Btteadun thim on the adoption «f estly believed to would be possible to fnaMi cure to Qnetaki# jjunmrf ma&mmmtaiy water sopplj *