ONEHUNGA WATER SUPPLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11148, 22 August 1899, Page 3

ONEHUNGA WATER SUPPLY.

NEGOTIATIONS WITH AUCKLAND, | At tlio ordinary meeting of the Onohnnga j Borough Council, hold Inst night, the town ! clerk said the half-yearly interest on the pre- : sent waterworks loan would be duo on September 1 next, and amounted to £138. Mr. Shaldrick asked the Mayor if he did not think it was time the Council took steps to reduce the interest on this loan from 6 per cent, to a more reasonable figure. Mr. Laking asked the Mayor if he oould give the Council any further information on the question of supplying Auckland with water. The Mayor said he would answer both 1 questions at once. The Council were aware ; that they had offered to supply the Mamikau 1 Water Supply Board at 8d per 1000 gallons, i with a minimum quantity of 50,000,000 gal- I lons per annum. The last clause being con- ' sidqred imperative by tho Board, the Council i afterwards offered to supply the adjacent districts with water at cost price, plus Id per ] 1000 gallons profit. The Board had not ac- j copied tho amended offer. Tho Auckland ! City Council next opened up negotiations 1 with tho Council for permission to draw i water from the Onehunga springs. After due consideration, the Council agreed to let tho Auckland City Council draw the surplus water from the Onehunga springs at lid per 1000 gai.uns for the first 60,000,000 per annum, and all over that quantity at Id per 1000 gallons, the Cilv Council to pay not less than £300 per annum to Onehunga whether or not they consumed 60,000,000 gallons in that time. He had had an interview with Mr, Goldie, the Mayor of Auckland, during the day, and that gentleman stated that his Council could not take any definite action in tho matter until they received extended powers from i Parliament to borrow tho money for the ' ))iirposo. As the Council was promoting a I Bill at the present time in the House of Representatives on the question, they would i soon be in a position to give a definite reply to Onehunga. With reference to the rate of interest being paid on thoir present loan of £4600, he did not think it would be wiso to attempt to reduce it until a definite reply I was received in the negative from tho Auck-1 land City Council and tho Mamikau Water Supply Trust. When the Onehuuga Council borrowed £5000 a few years ago for their own waterworks, the security offered was small, but that had now increased in value, so that it was' good enough security for £15,000, instead of £5000. Not only had the security increased in value, but the Council ! had a revenue of £1500 per annum from their ■ present waterworks to add to their present ■ security should they require to go in for a larger loan. Thero was one other point ho . wished to make clear to the Council, namely, j that Onehunga bad done everything in its power to give the adjacent district? the bene- | fit of the surplus water flowing from the i Onehunga springs. That being bo, the Legis- ! lature could not compel them to take further ' action in the matter. In fact, the position of Onehunga was more secure than ever, and his motto for Onehunga was, Hold the Fort." Mr. Bradley said the-ratepayers were getting uneasy at having to pay such a high rate of interest for thoir present loan, but he agreed with the Mayor that to hurry matters for a few weeks would probably frus- | trate the whole sohomo. The Council ought to conserve their floating securities. Mr. Stoupe said ho considered that the Auckland City Council ought to have officially informed the Onohunga Counoil the cause of the present dolay in arriving at a decision on tlie matter, and ho was of the opinion that if the proposed terms were not accepted by December 1 next, the Onehunga Council should .take steps to reduce the interest on the present waterworks loan. • The matter then dropped, . .. •