WATER SUPPLY TO WHARF LATRINES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9494, 25 April 1894, Page 6

WATER SUPPLY TO WHARF LATRINES.

The report of the Finance and Legal Committee submitted to the Harbour Board at their meeeing yesterday, contained the following recommendation :—" That as no account had been rendered for water used at latrine, Devonport Ferry Jetty, Quay-street, previous to last quarter, the sum of £14 4s 2d cost of water used last quarter be paid, and that the City Council be requested to send in quantities of water used at the latrine at the end of each month. Mr. Hol:lant>, Mayor of Auckland, said he strongly objected to this clause of the report, and should move that the full amount claimed by the city for water supply be paid. They had "used the water and they ought to pay for it. Mr. J. McCabe seconded the motion. Mr. Alison said that the reason for the committee passing the resolution was that they had received no account from the city for extra water until this bill for £22 was sent Jn, and that extended over a term of 15 months. The Board was not aware that there had been an excess during that time, and had not had an opportunity of checking the consumption, and the City Council had contributed nothing. Mr. Holland : The city contributes 30,000 gallons of water per month. . On discussion, it appeared that the recommendation of the committee was that the extra consumption for the last quarter be paid. Mr. Wright said as the City Council had given no opportunity to the Board's officials to check the consumption of water, and it was provided that accounts should be forwarded monthly by the Council officials, the latter were to blame, and he thought the City Council might well accept the amount of £14 4s 2d as remuneration for the extra water used. The Chairman said the City Counoil officials had no doubt been negligent, for they should have forwarded monthly accounts, and had the bills been sent in regularly, the quantity of water charged for could not have been wasted. He trusted the City Council would accept this as a first settlement. He had known in his own experience meters to act wrong. . Mr. Devore, while acknowledging that if they used the water they ought to pay for it, not on the basis of the last quarter, but rather to make an average. The Chairman said the result of an average would be that the Board would pay £2 less than the amount they offered. Mr. Holland said that a great deal had been said about the Council's negligence, but he asked what about the negligence of the officials of the Board in allowing the water to run to waste ? He could not understand the splitting straws over a paltry sum of £8 The amendment moved by Mr. Holland was put, and carried on a division.