THE PITONE WATER SCHEME.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 880, 11 January 1889, Page 22

THE PITONE WATER SCHEME.

A public meeting was held in the Oddfellows’ Hall, on Pitone, Monday night to consider the water and drainage scheme for the borough. The whole of the Town Council were present and about 150 ratepayers. The Mayor (Mr S. R. Johnson) occupied the chair. The Chairman explained the objects of the meeting. The Council had under consideration the desirableness ot raising a loan of LIO,OOO to provide an efficient water and drainage system for the town. He read a paper (which had previously been circulated among the ratepayers) which gave particulars of the scheme. Mr C. Edmonds asked under what authority the meeting was called. He had been informed by good legal authority that the meeting that night was informal. The Mayor said that legal advice was not always the same. ’ Two lawyers could never agree on one point. Sir James Hector explained the drainage scheme. He complimented the town upon the possession of such a complete plan, and he had no doubt when that plan was put into operation it would be one of the most successful in the whole of the Colony. Mr Stansell was not in favour of the scheme. He believed the figures were misleading to the ratepayers and urged them to be very careful before they voted for such a scheme. In speaking of the Wainui water supply he strongly objected to it, as one could never really rely upon it. He would refer the meeting to those who had already the Wainui water laid on to their houses to say how frequently it was cut oft’. In the last month, on two days (December 6th and 7th), no water was available. The Mayor, replying to Mr Stansell’s remarks, mentioned that when the water was about to be cut off due notice was always given to the consumers. He strongly urged the ratepayers to assist in bringing out the present scheme. Their town was one of the healthiest in the Colony, and the proposed schemes would assist in bringing into the district what they most desired more population. Everyone living in the district would derive some benefit from the schemes in some shape or other. Several ratepayers also spoke in faveur of the schemes. Mr Slabter said he was glad to find that no opposition had been raised to the drainage question. He believed the scheme would be of great benefit to the town. One important point was that the level of the water in winter was very high. It was only due to their small population that no serious epidemic had broken out among them. He believed the drainage scheme was a most complete one, and he had every confidence of it being carried out in a satisfactory manner. He had every confidence in the capability of their engineer, Mr Marchant, whose plans were bound to be of much service to them. In referring to the water scheme, he believed that the Wainui supply was open to som improvement. He thought the Horokiwi scheme would give most satisfaction. The Mayor was in favour of asking the ratepayers to consider a water scheme of their own, and not to be dependent upon the Wellington people for a supply. He was aware that several ratepayers, especially the Gear Meat Company, had been most successful in getting a sufficient water supply from artesian wells, and it would be well for the Council, before asking the ratepayers to vote for this scheme, to expend a little money, and find out if it was not possible to get a sufficient supply in a similar maimer. The Mayor explained that . the Council were not bound to the Wainui scheme, but were quite willing to assist the ratepayers in any reasonable way. The Mayor gave notice that a poll

would be taken for a loan of £IO,OOO on Saturday, January 19.