WATER SUPPLY-FOR MILTON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4174, 5 July 1875, Page 6

WATER SUPPLY-FOR MILTON.

A deputation, consisting of Mr Goodall!. (Mayor of. Milton), Mr Marryatt, and MrGoombe, of .Milton,-waited' on His Honour theSuperintende'ntonthe 11th ult. to bringunder.his-" notice -matters connected with a proposal, the supplying of the town of Milton with water.

Mr Goodallj said it was thought that.tka water could be brought in for £8000 or £10,000, and it was desirable to know if a guarantee ■ could be got from the Government like that - which the Dunedin "VYater Works Company had. The town was increasing in size and population, and was greatly in want of a watersupply, and, while for ordinary supply they relied on wells, they had no pressure of water ■ for extinguishing fires.' . His Hosoun said it was no doubt very desirable to have a water supply, and le was veryglad to see that they were puttin o their hands in their pockets in that direction; but, unfortunately, the Provincial Council, even if everso much disposed, or having ever so much. means, was debarred from giving any guarantee. The, Public Debts Act, passed in 1871j.

prevented Provincial Councils from borrowing money or giving'a guarantee. They might authorise other bodies to borrow, but had nopower to borrow themselves. It appeared that it was proposed to get the water supply by-means of a Company, and His Honour remarked that the Company' would have to get an Act ■of the General Assembly to enable them to construct the works-, and levy rates ; if it -had been a municipality ■ that was going into the affair the work could have been carried out under the existing Act, which gave municipalities the necessary powers." •■• ■ • ..- ..;.•■ ■ . • . .

His Honour : You have the money ? Mr GodD-VLL-;' We have the money, but wewant the guarantee. ..-...'.-■. His-Honour:' What you want is an Act to enable you to levy rates—an Act the'ssme'as theNelson, Wellington, and Duuediri Water Works Act. You see the state of the case so far as the Provincial Government is concerned. If the Corporation were going into the work they could levy rates equal to .the amount required for interest on the outlay. Mr Marryatt: Can-no assistance be had from the General Government ? His Honour did not think there was any probability.of getting assistance fronithe General Government. Mr Majsh.ya.tt was' afraid that without some guarantee people.would not .take shares. His Hoxpuit: Well, the Province is debarred from giving any guarantee. ■ Mr Marryatt said' there was anothee point about which they wished" to consult Hi* Honour—that was the water right. It was at present in the hands of a Mining Company, and the deputation wished to know if it could be acquired for the town of Milton. His Honour replied that without an Actof theColonial' Legislature nothing could be dona, but-there were many things involved in.the* water question. It was one that he. did .not feel competent to give an opinion upon. ■ He saw the Provincial Council had passed a resolution asking him to take action on the. question: in the General' Assembly, but he was afraid it would be a very difficult matter—the question, of riparian rights seemed to be somewhat undefined. ■'■•'■. Mr Marryatt .mentioned that there was nowinsurable property to the value of £100,000 in the main street of- Milton, and,, in case of fire, three times the cost of a water supply would probably be destroyed in a few hours. TheGovernment would have to take the question up because the people could not do it—thos& who held the water rights wanted too much. His Honour thought the question of water rights would-have to be dealt with at once by the Legislature,and would soon be brought to a. head. He was very sorry, that the mission of the deputation to .him had been so fruitless; if he had known their object he could have satisfied them at once by letter. Mr Marryatt: Is there not a possibility,, your Honour, of the Provincial Government getting the privilege from the General Government to do the work ? His Honour replied it could not be done without legislation. Mr Marryatt was sure it would be a reproductive work. His Honour thought there was veiy httlo chance of the Provincial Government taking upthat line of business. He would do; all he could in the Assembly to promote their interests—if they brought a'Bill into the Assembly it would have his support, but there was barely time to introduce it this session. . Mr Marryatt wanted to know if a clausecould be inserted in the Bill to take the waterrk'hts at n valuation.

=His Hoxouit said it could. Mr Makhyatt said that some of those who-' held water-rights were very difficult to deal! with, and wanted a very extravagant figure.. The Company wanted to put themselves in the^ same position as the Dunedin Waterworks-. Company when that Company first started,, with a Government guarantee of 8 per cent, and power to levy rates on the town. His Honouh remarked that the General orProvincial Governments would not take up the^ work, and that it could be done by the Corpo-7 ration which had property and rates. ■ Mr Marutatt explained that the acquisition, of the water-rights was of Provincial importance. The water was brought from a-height-of 1000 ft in a race thirteen or fourteen miles long, and was not polluted. The use of it fora water-supply did not interfere with' its use for turning machinery, as it was available after having passed over the wheel, and it was not polluted. That supply was. from eight to tea heads of water running all the year round, and it could be taken over the ridge 3to the Clntha or brought to Dunedin. Some L7OOO or LBOOO had been expended in bring on the supply for its present use. The water could be brought in an open race six or seven miles long to> within two and a-half miles of Milton at a cost of LsooorL6oo. His Hoxouit, in answer to questions from the deputation, said the best step they cotld take would be to employ a professional gentleman— a parliamentary agent—at once. . ; A member remarked that he thought the affair was hardly far enoiigh advanced to alloiar of this being done. The deputation thanked His Honour antL retired.

Tenders are now being called forth© formation of a road between the head of Pitt street to the main road on the Towii Belt This branch road wilt be a great convenience in the way ot gaining access to, or egress from the Belt road, especially as regards giving the citizens additional facility to view the scenery of theBelt, and to inhale the f 13h air. It is* to be hoped that the City Council will soon see their way to complete the last section of the Belt road —the part "which. is to go northwards from the Wakari road, for a distance of about a mile, and the course of which is now staked outIt is further to be hoped that they will see their way to finishing,and nieullißg the part already formed. The price of stock np-country has very much increased in value lately. Cattle are worth exactly 50 per cent, nrore thaie tliev were twelve months since, and for fat "and daily stock pthore is a decided upward tendency. At two sales of cattleheld lately by Mr George Fache at the Teviot, also at a sale held by Mr Charles Colclough at Cromwell, the biddings weie very spirited. So many eager buyers have not been present at aiiy cattle sale held on the Goldfields for some few yeaiß pas*.