THE WATERWORKS. (To the Editor of the North Otago Times.)

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2084, 7 January 1879, Page 2

THE WATERWORKS. (To the Editor of the North Otago Times.)

Sir, — I do not profeas to know more of the Waterworks than anyone else, but as my name has been 1.0 prominently referred to in connection with the matter, I will write a few words on the subject, nowjof sojmuoh importance to our townsfolk. I amjof the tame opinion now that I always hare beeu, regarding the scheme of water supply, viz. , that financially it is too big an affair for the limited population of Oamaru at the present tinte. But all muat admit every endeavor was made to discover either a more economical or a better scheme. All the available talent seemed to be brought to bear on the subject, and many weary years passed away. Mayors and Councillors came and went, but no water suply. At last, in desperation, this scheme was agreed upon, but, if my memory serves me, the then Council, before deciding, left the matter open, and allowed the ratepayers two months to object or tacitly .consent. On the principle that silence gives consent, the ratepayers consented. It was, I think, first in Mr Shrioiski's term of office that this scheme was initiated — vide plan in Council Chambers. Then came Mr Sump. ter as Mayor ; then Mr Steward reigned ; aud all the while this scheme was prominent, and no better could be devised. About the time tne Council decided to, to go on with the present scheme, I was about a good deal, talking to all and sundry, showing how, if it was to cost L 65,000 for the works alone, with thrqe or four years interest on the, first loan of 1.00,000, buying land, an engineer at LIOOO a year, and many other items, the cost before the water was brought into Oamaru would not be less than LIOO,OOQ ; and aa there was only a population of 6000 (great and small), it would be a crushing tax. However, water was so much required that nobody responded. All agreed that it was a large, amount, a.nd one ratepayer was. a.q muro impressed that he wrote a long and able letter on the subject : but that also fell deal j aqd I contend the then Council were fully justified in going on with the scheme ; so much so that Or. Qibbs, then recently elected, though agreeing with.

me, did not feel justified in moving in the matter, against what may be called the opinion of the ratepayers as a body. No sooner, however, was the contract let, than a multitude of wiseacres gathered like vultures round a carcase, and found fault with everything. As a sample, I I have been told that the water could not be got out of the Waitaki river. The race was through shingle, which would absorb every drop of water that ever got in it ; it had no fall ; it was up hill,' and so on. Step by step from the Waitaki to the reservoir, has every part and portion been condemned. Then, when the reservoir commenced — oh ! it would never hold water, says " Wisdom" and " Experie»?ce" on reservoirs ; though I have nolLiet heard to what subterrar. can region itTnhSe§cend. It is, however, devoutly to be hoped it will get down to that warm place " we are told of," and reach the tips of some of those cavillers tongues. Now against all that, what is the case ? The works have gone on most satisfactorily. The water now runs from the Waitaki to the Awamoko, and in a few weeks it will be running some five miles further ; and in twelvemonths we will be made glad by having an abundant supply of water in Thames street, to extinguish fires and "down with the dust" — the last being at the present time " just what's the matter." Neither your contemporary nor any one else has given the faintest reason for doubting the correctness of Mr M'Leod's calculations, which will all, I doubt not, be satisfactorily explained. En passant, many people aver that Mr M'Leod said, "he would stake his professional reputation on the water being brought into Oamaru for L.65,000." Now, Me M'Leod said no such thing. What Mr M'Leod said — on being asked by some councillor what security the Council had, — was : " I will stake"* my professional reputation on the complete success of the scheme ; " not referring in any way to finance, that being left in the hands of the Council. Had he then and there been asked to bring in the water for L 65,000, I don't doubt he would have agreed, and done it too. Nothing that I know of has since that period transpired to cause me to fear that the scheme will Hot be a success > and why ? Because circumstances have .(unfortunately for himself) caused the contractor to abandon his contract such a hubbub has arisen ! I fail to see that it in any way affects Mr M'Leod cr his scheme. Why, then, should the Council, without any reason, suddenly lose faith in- their engineer, and go to great expense, and lose, may be, months of precious time. Think of .the interest on L 60,000 running on, to say nothing of the damage being, and liable to be, sustained by half-finished works. E4OOO worth of plant going to decay, and half finished tunnels ditto, wages to caretakers, and so on. Lota more expense. Moreover, .at present there is a large number of skilled laborers on the ground, who if scattered, would be hard to replace, and who, as a matter of justice, are entitled to sympathy and preference, having, all of them, lost (for the present) the proceeds of some few weeks work. All that, and much more, made it, in my opinion, imperative that the works should proceed without the loss of a day more than was. absolutely necessary. I said I had heard no reason for taking advice on the scheme. Well, I did read a letter in your contemporary, but such a meBS of garbage, mixed up with railway stations, abuse of Mr M'Leod, sundry Mayor, and Councillors (past and present), all showing that personal animosities have more to do with Mr " Anonymous " than water works. Surely Mr Blairs report on the scheme should suffice. Again, I ■was told by a large taker of contracts for stone buildings, baths, and erecting poles for the telephone business, that he had looked at the race, and no water ever would come by it to Oamaru. I told him it was 350 or 400 ft higher at the Waitaki than at Oamam, and surely that ought to suffice ; that I had myself got the opinion of the ablest hydraulic engineer of the present day, viz. , Mr Clark, who told me not only was 16in. of a fall ample, but Bin. to the mile would suffice, the object being to get water and to avoid scour. Still, my friend of the telephone remains obdurate, and goes about telling as an authority, that no water will come, albeit when I asked him if he had tried a spirit-level, or been over all the 35 miles of the race, he answered " No." I then asked him what was his grievance, as I begin to find that it is men who have a grievance who. are making most row. I may here state a fact, viz., the sills of the lower windows of Mr Sumpter's house, which is not much above the Reservoir, are on a level with the crosstree of the flagstaff. Mr Contractors statements .and assertions are ■fi fair sample of the nonsense talked. A man sees a few miles of a race, and goes about bouncing, as if his opinion was superior to the opinion and judgment of professional engineers, who, with instruments, nave gone over and over the ground, checking each other, and their own calculations. Now, what would another engineer do 1 Any tyro, after a year or two with an engineer, is quite able to take levels. We don't want the ground measurer. What then ? Suppose the two engineers differed — who will decide. Doctors differ, and patients die. Is the water scheme to remain, while two of a trade are trying to agree. No doubt this consulting engineer would, to earn his fee, nnd lest these foolish Oamaruites should think him no good, make mayhap, not a few alterations, which, whether beneficial or not, would cost a lot more money, plenty of which is spent as it is. Before the contract was let was the time time to have had the opinion of Mr Higginson or "ye " great Knorpp. It is too late now, at all events until some satisfactory reason can be given. The question now is to empower the Council to try and borrow L 40.000 ; and a imbbnb is raised as if it was a new thing, which it is not. The Mayor and others •who initiated the scheme, and borrowed the L 60.000, knew it would be required, but maybe thought L 60,000 was enough to borrow at once, as the interest now running is a large amount. Any one could guess that if it was assumed by an Engineer that L 65,000 was required to bring in the water alone, large additional sums, such as Lll,ooo for interest, L5OOO for preliminary expenses, Acts of Parliament, L 4.000 for purchasing land, and so on, would be required. At the meeting, on the 14th inst. , ratepayers should mngter strong. The Mayor and Engineer will be present to answer all questions connected with the scheme, and I trust all well disposed rational people will be satisfied. Afterwards the discontented can get up a subscription to have a fresh exploration, and try to find out some better way. No one on the ratepayers roll should fail to vote. It is a matter of such vital moment to all in the town. How any person unaffected by personal animosity, " or who (like my friend the telephonic contractor) has a grievance, ca.n even for a moment think of objecting to the completion of ♦he- works passeth all comprehension. What will be the result ? The town has borrowed LOO,OOO, •It is no question of the councillors at all. It is you, the ratepayers, who have borrowed, and haye to pay, Now if a few disappointed oavillers and,men with grievances are Jef t to rule the roast when £50,000 has been expended in bringing the water into the rewrvoir,

it will come no further, will benefit no one, bring in no revenue, and the race is either to be maintained at a cost of half the municipal revenue, or allowed to go to decay and ruin, and the L 15,000 worth of 'pipes to lie on the beach and rust— a pretty prospect surely. While if the L 40,000 is borrowed, the works will be far advanced to completion before the interest on it commences, and revenue and .benefit accrue in the shape of good, soft, wholesome water for domestic use, in place of the vile, hard, unhealty stuff so many have to use, and pay a high price for. Shopkeepers can then decorate their windows, and turn half their^ stocks out of doors with confidence, knowing the Waitaki water is a match for the dust ; to Bay nothing of that smart Fire Brigade, | with my telephonic friend in his red coat and cockade, ready to extinguish any j amount of burning pianos at a moment's notice, and 1 refresh himself afterwards with the snow-water of the Waitaki, and a wee drop of mountain dew from Lochnagar, to take the chill off. — I am, &c., Jamhbs'Liddlk. Oamaru, Jan. 6, 1879.