ONERAHI WATER SUPPLY.

Northern Advocate, 6 August 1924, Page 7

ONERAHI WATER SUPPLY.

PIPE SIZE VARIATION,

BOROUGH COUNCIL'S obligations:

Amongst the recommendations of the Legal and Finance Committee to the Whangarei Borough Council 011 Monday evening was one in connection with the agreement between the Council and the Onerahi Town Board in connection with the supply of water by the former to the latter. The committee recommended that the amount payable by the Town Board to the Council be reduced by £.125 on account of 7-inch pipes being substituted for 8-inch pipes, to carry the water to the borough boundary on the Parua Bay Road. The agreement was to be amended accordingly and to be submitted to the solicitor with instructions that provision bo made for the termination of the supply in the event of a shortage of water in the borough.

Cr. L. J. Brake was not in favour of the proposed reduction in charge to Onerahi. He contended that the Coun- ; cil was going to see that Onerahi got ! the water and declared that it was j immaterial what size pipe was used j to the boundary of the borough so long j as it was large enough to supply the 4- i inch main which Onerahi proposed to use from that point. He moved that the clause be deleted from tho committee's report. Cr. A. 11. Curtis seconded the motion, which was also supported by Cr. Simpson, who claimed that Onerahi was to get an adequate supply at a. cheap rate. Cr. A. T. Brainsby pointed out, however, that the Town Board was contributing towards tho cost of the laying of 8-inch pipes within the borough, and he submitted that, as it had been possible to put in 7-inch pipes instead of 8-inch, it was not a reasonable proposition that the Whangarei Borough Council should get the whole benefit of the reduced cost. Cr. W. Lees said the Council h.id •agreed to put in an 8-inch pipe and had substituted a. 7-inch, and it should therefore make a concession to the Board. Cr. -T. E. Holmes explained that the smaller pipes had beer, put in by the Council at a cheap rate compared with the original proposal to use the larger size. The engineer, Mr .J. D. Whitniore, said it was hard to give an estimate of the difference in cost of the 8-inch and 7-inch pipes off-hand. The Deputy Mayor, Mr W. U. Time--1 well, related that the committee had 'considered the matter and had thought !it equitable that as the Council wis j not fulfilling its agreement to put in ] S-inch pipes to the borough boundary, j it was a reasonable thing to allow a j concession to the Board contributing ;o !the cost. The engineer stated in reply to Cr. {Brake that he was satisfied that One- | rahi would not get as efficient a sun--1 ply with the 7-inch pipe used as it I would have had with the 8-inch source !to draw from. He was convinced that j the 8-inch pipe should have been used 1 in preference to the 7-inch mains.

Cr. E. G. W. Tibbits queried whether, I as the idea was that a 4-inch main j should be run from the borough boundary to Onerahi, there would be any greater loss of pressure if that 4-inch main was drawn from a 7-inch main instead of an 8-inch one. The engineer replied definitely that the more efficient service would be from the 8-inch pipe. The Deputy Mayor pointed out tint in the agreement there was no definite size of pipe stipulated by the Council, although the agreement as drawn up ;by the Town Board stipulated the larger size. That agreement, said the Deputy Mayor, had not been signed, as the smaller pipes were being put in, and therefore as a matter of equity he considered that a concession should oe made to the Onerahi ratepayers. Cr. A. D. Jack was in favour of that contention, and on Cr. Brainsby's motion the matter was. referred, back to the Finance Committee for further consideration.