WATER SUPPLY FOR, THE CITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XI, Issue 3824, 13 February 1874, Page 3

WATER SUPPLY FOR, THE CITY.

To the Editor of the Hebaed. Sib, —It is necessary that in discussing the question of the Nihotopu source there should be no misconception as to the duties entrusted to Mr. Moriarly. They wore not lo report on the various schemes, alroady before the public iu numerous lengthy reports and proceedings of various committees who have from time to time been appointed by the Provincial Coan- ' oil. Of these the City Council and the public have had enough; but while erery information and all these reports were placed at his disposal, ho was asked to report on which ho considered the best available source of supply for the city. Ido not underatand that Mr. Moriarty intended to make provision for 20,000 persons, at the rate of 60 gallons per diem, but merely stated what the supply could do while the population continued about 20,000. In considering the question of an expensive gravitation scheme, which would probably take two or three years to complete, we certainly must take eome consideration for our future requirements of the city. We 'are not likoly to bavo it within our means i to borrow such a sum again, as would be ! required, for half a century. I understood Mr. Moriurty'e principul objection to be the deficiency in supply for such a scheme, great distance, and the very bad roads through which the pipfis would have to be brought. . Notwithstanding varioue insinnations, I think the present analysis alone condemns this source, and if these reports should be supported by Professor Smith, wo could no longer ignore the fact that the water ie impure, and not suitable for a supply; and it does seem a great folly to go some sixteen milc3 to obtuiu at a large annual cost to maintain what we are told can be got in threefold quantities at a distance of two miles and less. Seeing, then, these great difficulties— quantity (at loaat for an expensive scheme), quality, of which at present we have very bad reports upon, difficulties of a bad country, and length of piping making it absolutely necessary to have expensive intermediate reservoirs (and this is not denied by other engineers), the high price of iron, shewing the first cost of piping alone at nearly £60,000, and last but not least, the opinion expressed Unit it would cost as much to maintain the Nihotopu gravitation supply as it would the Western Springe pumping scheme, is it then advisable to fritter away not only money to the extent of £1000 or i>lsoo, but also valuable time in having another report, when the City Council have yet to pay Messrs. Brogden £150 for a report of this and other sources ? It should be borne in mind that the City Council have no meane but the one general rate at their diepoanl, and then barely keep the city clean and the streets in repair. If there was any great doubt about the matter, these considerations might be secondary, but I think a careful reading of the various reports and I minutes of evidence of committees would satisfy any ono prepared to be convincod that the Nihotopu source ia not tbe best and inoet available water eupply for the city. A gentleman in the city informed me that when Governor Fitzroy was here some thirty years since, he wroto homo in reply to some question as to a water eupply here, to t'io effect that some competent officials from one of the ships of war had tested some springs near Auckland, knoTn as the Western Springs, and

that there was u pure, good supply quite sufficient for one-fourth the popululion of .London ; bo that these apringe were considered of -value thirty years since, ou the other liand, slutuineuts are inado that they occasionally run short; but tUe ono statement was made some nineteen years ago, and the other by a -writer in to-dny's Cross, who states that iu either 1815 or 1855 (rather a wide margin) there wus not sufficient flour ground for the bakers. Probably, as in all other cases, thero is another side to this story. A want of decision on thie important matter, after all the expensive reporta received, and yet to pay for, ie simply strengthening the hands of those who want to create and foeter diversity of opinion, in Iho selfish hope that they will thus escape any additional taxation for years to come, forgetting or ignoring that those who are possessors of gosd wells or tank supplies are paying double the rates for insurance they -would have to pay should there be a sufficient water supply, apart from the important fact that the want of such a necessity causes great morta'ity amongst infant life, and other ills too numerous to mention. Wo " strain nt gnats, and swallow camels." The City Council are every now and then compelled, with borrowed mouey, to make sewers in localities which, if thero was plenty of water to fluBU them, a few years honce would do ; and when they have built them, without the necessary water, they do but cOTer up the nuisance out of our eight. The abominations and the dangers to health are not disposed of. It is not denied that the Nihotopu source would cost £150,000, if not more. This means a water-rater of 2i. The Waterworks Act does not, if it were desirable, give any such, power, neither is it probable the ratepayers would subtnil to any euch imposition after tho report we have received on this source from Messrs. Bell and Moriarty; and if they did consent, additional legislation would be required, and this simpiy means no water supply for the next five yea«. On tho other hand, should Mr. Moriarty's recommendation bo adopted by the ratepayers, we should anticipate to have a plentiful supply of water in 18 months or less.—l am, &c, S. SFebruary 12, 1874-.