ST. KILDA COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18768, 23 January 1923, Page 9

ST. KILDA COUNCIL

The usual fortnightly meeting of the St. Kiida Borough Council, hold last nigAt, was attended by the Mayor (Mr J. W. Dove) and Crs” Adam, Carolin, Garbutt, Mercer, Longworth, Boss, Ritchie, Seddon, and Telfei'. Ilia Order Paper was a fairly lengthy one, and a considerable amount of business was taken in committee. Mr J. W. Beattie wrote requesting the council to erect a light in Pretoria avenue. St. (/lair. Mr Beattie stated that the street was very dark, and that a post, which at present bears the name of the street, would prove very suitable to carry the light.— Received. The Chief Postmaster, Dunedin, wrote with regard to the alteration in the tjmo of arrival of the morning mail at St. Kiida from the Chief Post Office. In order to ensure early delivery of, correspondence to the council, arrangements had been made to have ( it delivered at the council office by a city postman.—Received. A report submitted by the borough foreman on the work carried out during the past six weeks was adopted, as was a report by the council’s plumber. A BUILDING PERMIT. MOTION TO RESCIND DEFEATED. In accordance with the usual notice of motion, Cr Alercer moved—“ That the resolution passed by the council on December 11 last, granting Mr J. A. Orlowski permission to erect a building in Victoria road, with a composite wal., 3ft front the boundary, bo rescinded.” In supporting his motion, Cr Mercer said that by granting Mr Orlowski permission to erect the building, the counci.? would probably be placed in an awkward position later on, as it would be establishing a precedent. v The motion was seconded by Cr Adam. Cr Longworth remarked that Cr Mercer had a very poor idea of the matter, as he was not present st the meeting which granted the permit to Mr Orlowski. It seemed strange to him that no matter in what way Mr Orlowski approached the council somebody attempted to thwart him. He would like to get at the bottom of the matter. The Mayor: I claim that I made the statement at the last council meeting that if the council granted a permit to Air Idour then it was doing the other man an injustice. You were present at that meeting, Cr Longworth, and you know what was said . Dr Longworth: I do not remember hearing any such statement. The Alayor: You could not have been paying attention. Dr Longworth: I was listening carefully. Ihe Alayor: Very well, then, go on; only I claim the right to remind you of what I said. Cr Seddon agreed with what Cr Longworth had said, but expressed disappointment that Cr Alercer had not supported ms case very effectively. . The Mayor said that the question of the individual was 'not involved in the matter at all. Mr Dove then outlined the position in full, and inferred to other applications which had been granted, in the past. There was absolutely no similarity between the previous cases and tne one under consideration. Cr Alercer then remarked that be was sorry that the personal element had been brought into .the question, but, as far as he was concerned, he was unaffected by it. iJ -e still thought that the council would create a precedent unless it rescinded the motion. After further discussion the motion was lost by five votes to three. THE WATER SUPPLY. UR BEGG’S STATEMENT RESENTED. ST. KILDA UNJUSTLY TREATED. In connection with the St. Kiida water supply Mr H. M. Davey, consulting engineer, submitted a report on the water pipe lines in the borough. He was of the opinion that these pipe linos, especially tho six-inch main which runs right, through the borough, were sufficient for adequately supplying the borough with water. At the present time, and for about a year previous, the council was not getting as much water through the pipes as it had before, and therefore it was plain that the city supply was not as it used to be. Either the pressure was less, or water was being taken in increased quantities from the mains before such mains were fully supplied. In the last quarter of 1920 the council paid for 24,750,000 gallons of water, and this quantity presumably passed through the mains. For tho past four quarters the quantities were only 15,500,000 gallons, 16.375.000 gallons, 19,250,000 gallons, and 19.375.000 gallons respectively, so it was quite evident the borough mains were not passing their full capacity. People were clamouring for more water, which apparently they could not get, and that fact pointed to an inadequate supply, as was corroborated by tho extraordinary fluctuations of the present gauge, even when the gauge was placed at, or dose to, the meter. Ho suggested that the council should secure full control of hoses, so that in the event of a shortage of water at anv time, it could order the discontinuance of these, as was the case in tho city. This would entail no. hardship, as the power wag never exercised except in times of dire necessity. As tho borough was practically on a low level, it should expect a far "more even and better supply than it was now receiving. A newspaper report of a meeting of the City Council on the matter gave it that ihe chairman had said that “the whole trouble was that the only main supplying South Dunedin and St. Kiida was a six-inch pipe, and after South Dunedin drew its supply from mis there was not much left for St. Kiida.’.' The pipes now carrying the supply were about seven miles in length, and were laid between 1910 and 19H.

Tho Mayor said (hat it was his duty to lay before the council some facts concerning the water supply of tho borough. In the first place, ho said, Mrßegg had made some very extraordinary and extravagant statements regarding the St. Kilda water supply at the recent City Council meeting. Mr Begg had said that a former St. Kilda Council had sold the borough’s birthright, without receiving nnyrhintr, in return. ‘That statement cast a reflection on a former mayor, who was, and is to this day, a vary level-headed and straightforward public man. When a. man made such a statement, no matter to what extent that man had appeared in public affairs, then ho could only he formed a fool." As n nublic man, the Mayor continued, he considered it his duty to assist the City Corporation, in everv way possible, nnd he had done this by laying repeated complaints concerning the water supply. He had been a resident of the “Flat" for over 30 years, nnd the “Flat" had made no material progress during thac period. The borough was supposed to get two 4in mains, and he Was going to see that the City Corporation installed (hose mains, whether tho council instructed him to see it through or not. Then there was tho Southern Reservoir. Thev had been given to understand that, the work would be completed at the end of last year, and now they had been informed that the reservoir would not be 'completed until next summer. Tho Mayor of Dunedin had told him that they wore unite satisfied with the city supply. No doubt they were, but the people of St. Kilda were not satisfied. As the borough had increased in population during the past two years, nnd more building permits bad been granted, the mains were still capable of carrying the same amount of water, but tho water was not there. The whole truth of tho matter was that the City Corporation had nor got the water to give, Tho city had no reservoir, and it was supplying (no mains direct from the race. lie asked why the City Corporation, when it, found it could not give an adequate supply, was not candid enough to say so. There was no doubt that the Kt. Kilda Borough was being treated most unfairly in the matter. Cr Serldoii said that evidently an attempt was being made to make, the St. Kilda Council the “scapegoat” in (he matter. Ho produced a bottle of discoloured water which had been filled after the tap had been running for over half an hour. The water was very discoloured, with a thicic layer ,of sediment nt the bottom. "That, gentlemen.” continued Cr Seddon, “is a fair sample of tho water now being served out to the ratepayers of St. Kilda. It is an illustration of the wonderful progress made bv the water department of the City Corporation during the nnst 57 years. Look at it, gentlemen! It is net fit for human consumption? Would you give it to your dog?"—(laughter.) Cr Longworth remarked that the sample produced would probably he worse than usual, as tho water was always particularly brackish after rain. Tho letter was received, and considered further in committee. It was decided that the Mayor and (he town clerk prepare a report and submit it to tho next mooting as to what action should be taken in the matter.