COUNCIL DIVIDED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23274, 17 February 1939, Page 9

COUNCIL DIVIDED

WATER SUPPLY CHARGE - DAIRY FACTORY POSITION [from our own correspondent] V PUKEKOHE, Thursday A sharp division of opinion was in> evidence at last evening's meeting of" the Pukekohe Borough Council a« to the amount the council should the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy" Company, Limited, for water frontr Hickey's Springs for the company'st Paerata factory. The waterworks committee, reported? that representatives of the company" met the committee with the Mayor, Mr. John Routly, and Mr.'W. A. Gray, consulting engineer to the council. Itf had been explained that the from the springs to the factory would'! cost the company £3OOO. It was to bel of 7in. pipes, giving a delivery up to; 9000 gallons an hour. The water was| required for purposes other than but-ter-washing. The main borough supply:; was drawn from Hickey's Springs, but| this absorbed only about a tftird of the flow of water there. " The company would be entitled tor. draw only on the surplus not required: for borough purposes, and had inti-j 1 mated that the council's proposal fori an agreement for 21 years, with firsts right of renewal to the company, was.; satisfactory. " I The point vet to be decided was what] thj council should charge for the water.? The company's representatives hadstated that they considered .£26. per annum was an equitable amount. A majority of the committee recommended that the charge be £39j buta minority of two, comprising the; chairman, Mr. G. T. Parvin, ana Mr. F. J. Morrow, recommended-£45. | However, on the matter coming, before the council, Mr. Parvin moved; . that the amount be £52. He said the 5 council had had to bear the cost ofi securing the springs and planting thffi springs reserve in trees. Tho companyj was a large concern and should be well: able to pay the ratepayers £52 per annum for the big supply of water it' would obtain. The cost per thousand gallons would be only ;a traction of a penny. "■ ' ' <>' M Mr. Parvin's motion for £52 per annum was carried on the voices by five votes to four.