£247,000 Water Scheme Discussed by Otamatea County Council

Northern Advocate, 27 January 1939, Page 2

£247,000 Water Scheme Discussed by Otamatea County Council

pIANS FOE T»E EXPENDITURE OF A SUM OF £247,000 FOR A

WATER SCHEME FOR THE DARGAVILLE BOROUGH AND FOR PORTIONS OF THE OTAMATEA AND HOBSON COUNTIES WERE DISCUSSED AT WEDNESDAY'S MEETING OF THE OTAMATEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

In a covering letter, the District Engineer, Mr R. H. Fackwocd, said ft was proposed to call a conference of interested local bodies to meet in Dargaville on February 10 and consider the whole scheme.

The estimated annual charges for interest, sinking fund and maintenance, based on a£l for £2 subsidy basis, was £10,705. This sum would be allocated as follows:—Dargaville Borough, £2347: Hobson, £2785; Otamatea, £5571.

The estimated cost of the water per 1000 gallons was IOJd for the borough and 1/1* for the counties.

"The price seems all right,” said Mr R. 'Coates, “for in some parts of the Hobson County they are paying 2/6 per 1000 gallons and some of the farmers have told *me that it was worth every penny of it.”

”Thero is some talk of a scheme for

Maungaturoto based on a charge of 1/6 per 1000 gallons,” commented Cr. T. H. C. Snelling. “The estimated annual charges are not based on the meter system," said Cr. Preston. “If it was it Would be all right. It works out at 4/- per aero over the whole of the Ruawai Flat and their it only takes in certain areas.” Not All Committed. “I want to make it quite clear that we are not ail committed to a water rate,” said Cr. Dodds. “Only those who use it will be rated for it.” “As I see it,” said Mr Coates, “the price could be raised to 1/6 per 1000 gallons if the 1/1J does not bring in enough revenue to pay the .annual charges.” “There is no getting away from the fact that the Public Works Department have worked it out on the number of cows on the Ruawai Flat, and if we do not use enough water to pay the annual charges, we will have to pay a rate to make up the difference,” said Cr. Preston. Cr. Aickin stressed the point that the price per 1000 gallons would have to be raised, if necessary, until the revenue met the expenditure. Scheme Must be Supported. Cr. Preston pointed out that even if individual farmers had ample supplies of water on their properties, they would have to support the scheme, as the water supply at the Ruawai factory was by no means satisfactory. After further discussion, the chairman and Crs. Preston and Page were appointed a sub-committee to consider the whole .question and to report to the council and also to attend the conference.