MR. NICHOLAS MARCHANT AND THE WATER SUPPLY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 5872, 27 January 1880, Page 3

MR. NICHOLAS MARCHANT AND THE WATER SUPPLY.

“ Wellington, New Zealand, “ 26th January, 1880. “To His Worship the Mayor and City Councillors. “ Sir and Gentlemen,—l have the honor to be instructed to lay before the City Council the fo'lowiug offer and proposals, re an extension of the present water supply to the city: — “1. My principals propose to acquire and hand over to the city all freehold debts appertaining to the full watershed of the Kaiwarrawarra stream above the present storage rescr▼oir. - , „ “2. They will construct, complete with all the newest approved a second storage reservoir of equal capacity to the existing one, and put it in independent concoction with the distributing basin. “3. They will construct filter beds on the upward and self-cleansing system, or the downward method through gravel and sand layers, capable of filtering in the most satisfactory manner not less than one million gallons per diem.

“4. They wll provide and lay a fire main connected to the present reservoir, traversing the town, and terminating at the junction of Molesworth-street and Tinakori-rosd, on the one part, and on the other in Oambridge-ter-race through any thoroughfare approved by the Council ; the fire main to be put in connection at approved distances with the existing main?, with equilibrium valves, and each fire brigade sup: Zed with a set of appliances for the increased pressure (hose alone excepted), together with a duplicate set. "5. They propose to maintain each work in full working order not less than three months after the date of its completion. “6. All the work to be completed fully to the satisfaction of the Council’s Engineer appointed for the purpose. “7. My principals offer to execute and complete in the most thorough manner all the foregoing works for a sum uot exceeding onehalf of the waterworks loan recently raised.

“S. It 13 also propose!, if desired by tlie Council, to place a reasonable deposit at once in the bank to assure your Council of the bona tides of this communication.

“9. I am also instructed to remind the Council that the foregoing works will place the city in connection with storage works of one hundred and sixty millions of gallons, andensure its distribution pure by the most approved filtration. “ 10. Also place through the main thoroughfares a fire main, bearing a working pressure of upwards of 450 feet; or, say, about 2001bs. pressure per square inch ; the delivering capacity of the fire mains to be not less than one million gallons per diem. "11. I am also instructed to inform the Council that after investigating the figures put fortli relative to the acreage of the Wainuiomata watershed, together with the normal flow of the stream, grave doubts, almost amounting to positive conviction, exist, that the yield has been overestimated by upwards of eight millions of gallons per diem. “ 12. The extension proposed in this letter is by no means meant to supersede the Wainuiomata project, but to assist in perfecting it when the city requirements really demand the increased supply. In the meantime, the surplus amount of the loan left in the hands of the Council would more than enable it to acquire the freeholds necessary for the carrying out of the proposed Wainuiomata waterworks. “ 13. It is generally considered that the loan of £130,000 is wholly inadequate for the completion of the "Wainuiomata works as proposed, and that the ratepayers will shortly have another call made upon them of probably upwards of one hundred thousand pounds. “14. I am instructed therefore to point out that in the present depressed financial condition of the city, together with the undoubted present decrease in its population, the offer and extensions set fortli iu the foregoing proposals are worthy of the earnest consideration of the Council.—Awaiting your reply.— I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant, “ Nicholas Marchant, C.E.”

p.S.—Copies of the foregoing have been sent to each town paper to be used at the discretion of the editor, but not necessarily for publication.—N.M.