TOPICS OF THE DAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4408, 15 July 1901, Page 5

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

ALLEG iil> UNSAFE BRIDGEYciy rumoius are in circulation is to tuo'saiuty of cue now road ana Auli.ay imdgo now nu.ug scructod over >uo Awatoro river, in iaarlooiough dis:r.ci, vvmoli is to bo opened tor traffic in luo course of a few weeks. ibe iUitcments made do. not in any way reaod. uiMiu the engineer who planned or upon those who aro currying out the inn's, the briugo is being well and iaichluliy built, -and there aro no structural doiocts due cither to bad engineering or faulty workmanship; bub it is iaegod that there is not the necessary stability and contrivances required to make tho structure absolutely secure against the winds that at times blow with hurricane force down the valley. It is said that, to make such a high and exposed bridge secure, greater lateral support is required; and it is also contended that the fencing on the upper or 'railway portion of tho structure jhould bo so fashioned as to constitute 9, breakwind, and thus prevent all dangeiSof the train being blown over during one of the local tornadoes. Those who remember the Tay bridge disaster in Scotland somo twenty-two years ago do not require to be told what a frightful loss was caused through tho collapse of an insufficiently stayed structure during a heavy gale. It was agreed on all hands that the disaster was caused by the train that was passing over the bridge offering groat resistance to the hurricane that raged on the fateful night; and the experience in tho Rimutaba gorge, which has not been repeated since tho breakwinds were erected, gives proof that gales occur in this country of sufficient force to overturn a railway train. The rumours regarding the Aw atore bridge may be groundless; but tne fact that they have obtained currency are sufficient—on the principal that “whore there is smoke there is bound to be fi re ” —to warrant careful investigation. Tho interests at stake are vital, and it is therefore to he hoped that Parliament will call for an expert report ns to the sufficiency eff the bridge, before the railway over it is opened for train/?..

WATER AND WASTE. Councillor Tclhurst had logic and sweet reasonableness on his side when ho inroked the City Council at last meetir.E to instal a meter system to check undue wastefulness on the Part of water consumers. H e was able to sho'T 'ii th n course of an abl© discjuisitinu c" th e subject, that in many cities in America whore-meters have been installed, and where householders have thus been induced to “ policeman their own leaking taps.” that an immense reduction in consumption had resulted. He thus proved to demonstration that by the introduction of water meters a system is installed which compels all to pay tor the water they consume—beyond what may) b*i called a legitimate limit—and none to pay for the wast e of others. He was also able to show that it is the worst kind of folly for a community to allow the pressure in the public mains to be slackened by the waste of water by careless or ignorant people. Further. Councillor Tolhurst sounded the note c f warning that “with an augmented supply and a continuous-Iv-growing population hardened by years of extravagance, any expenditure in additional water supplies will encourage instead of checking extravagance. ’ Therefore he would make “ each householder a lynx-eyed inspector cf his taps without payment of salary by the population.” Under ordinary circumstances, remarks of this kind from a Councillor would appeal very strongly to ratepayers. who must recognise "bat water famines and lew pressures and dearth of water in th° higher levels is as often as not du e to the wastefulness of one section of the community at the expense of the other. Under ordinary circumstances, therefore, the City_ Council might have assented to Councillor Tdhurst’s propositions. But our City Fathers have a very much larger question to face in this regard. It has become necessary for them—(l) To secure an additional, supply from Wainui-o. mata, because the dam there is leaking badly, and is so untrustworthy that it may break away at any hour, and because the pipes which ar e bringing the water to the city ar 0 leaky, and unfitted to withstand extraordinary pressure; and (2) to secure an additional independent supply from Karori, because the time has come when that must h© done, in order to obtain a supply which will give a sufficient pressure for fire-ex-tinguishing purposes on the higher levels. After these works have been Completed, w e may be able to get along well enough without feeling the neoes. sity for waste-checks, but the time will inevitably come when meters will have to be installed, in connection with Wellington’s water supply. THE MARLBOROUGH RAILWAY AND LAND LEAGUE. The settlers in the Marlborough Provincial district ar e . displacing much more activity in connection with their Land and Railway League than the North Island railway leagues are_ doing. At th e annual general meeting held at Blenheim last ,veek the report presented to the members was of exceptional interest, and special reference was made to the services rendered the league by Mr Kennedy Macdonald, of Wellington, who, at the request of the league, had paid a special visit to Blenheim last year, and delivered “a very, able address qn that occasion,” which, so adds the report, “had th© effect of creating and awakening muoh interest Snr the public of Marlborough.” On that

occasion Mr Macdonald emphasised the fact that Wellington merchants and the Wellington public were in tho most complete harmony with the aspirations of Marlborough in connection with land settlement and the building of the Mam Trunk Kailway between Blenheim and Christchurch. It is sometimes forgotten that Blenheim is reached by steamer and train from Wellington in less time than Palmerston North or Masterton is by rail, and that merchandise and products can, bo conveyed to and from Welling* ton and "Blenheim at a less cost than the railage charges between thp Empire City and the two inland towns we have named. This gives Wellington merchants an abso--lute monopoly of the Marlborough trade, and ther 0 is no tie so strong between districts as that of mutually satisfactory business relations. Thp aims of the Marlborough Land and Railway League are such as to commend them to tho sound judgment, not only of the Government, but of every member of Parliament who has the real interest of the colony at heart. It is very much to be regretted that such large estates as Elaxbourue, on the Main Trunk Southern lino, have not yet been acquired by the Government. We understand that efforts have been made, but it was impossible to mutually agree upon a satisfactory price. While there were many opinions adverse to tho wisdom of acquiring the ITatuma estate in Hawke’s Bay, there is only one opinion in the colony as to tho soundness of purchasing Flaxbournc, in tho Marlborough district. If it can be acquired in no other manner, it should be taken under tho compulsory clauses of the Act, and a fair, honest value given to its present holders. The rapid development in value of Starborough since its purchase and subdivision by the Government, and the success which has attended the settlers there, are object lessons as to what would take place in far larger measure at Elaxbourne, if it was divided, and sold or leased. We hope the present year will not pass without a strong effort being mad e by the Government to do justice to the Marlborough district, not only as respects land and railway development, but in creating a rapid steam ferry service between Plimmertm and Picton as suggested by the Hon C. H. Mills. It is somewhat marvellous that th o whole of the members representing the northern portion of the South Island should so long have submitted to have mails and passengers carried in sm,all ten and thirteen-knot steamers when the trade warrants twenty-knot boats, fitted with the latest improvements. In the Government’s new zeal for speedier steamer communL cation with th e Motherland and Australia it might he well for Ministers first to try their “ ’prentice hand ” upon up«to_ date boats between Wellington, Picton, Nelson and tho West Coast. There is every reason po expect that an improved Government service would spell a marvellous success in every respect.