WAIMAKIRIRI ASHLEY WATER SUPPLY.

Oxford Observer, Volume V, Issue V, 21 April 1894, Page 3

WAIMAKIRIRI ASHLEY WATER SUPPLY.

Bock Ford. The point of intake is at aback water hole away from the main stream. Reliable people say the hole is not always there. Mr John Mann has publicly stated this. A gentleman living near says the hole has been filled with, sand after Norwesters and he saw. it so filled. A pamphletcirculated by- the Water Supply Board says. " The water passes the Bocks at a high velocity carrying all shingle, debries, Sec, pasty and on the down stream side there is a deep pool of water caused by the eddy." The pool is cause/l by. the eddy, and this by the water passing the rocks at a high velocity^ There is a wide stretch of shingle between the main stream and the southern bank of the Waimakariri. Two of the Waimakariri's streams now pass through this. Should either of these channels take the water of the main /stream, maturelly diminish its yolumn, or should this stream strike a course of its own through the stretch of 'shingie mentioned, widen its present bed or have a* serious shrinkage, as in certain seasons, , the high velocity of the stream at the rocks would cease, with it the eddy, and the pool would be filled as hundreds of Better protected" pools are, in much narrower river-beds, by our erratic rivers. Let this intake not take us in, we are not without others and safer. .

Extract from Pamphlet "Any batter less than the natural slope of the 'face of the terrace will not stand, bub the cost of excavation would be prohibitive."

That'admission, or opinion, should remove the scheme from the domain of pratical works and would do so if those who hold it the —Water Snpply Board — and are responsible for its circulation, were reasonable men. The batter is recommended to be J Hor. to 1 Ver. and it is asserted a slight modification of this to £ . Hor. to 1 Ver. would _cos.t .£9OOO oil . the terraces. Yet the Board is ready; if it can, to spend our .£3OOOO on the race &c, and the batter of i Hor. to 1 Ver. while assuring us that batter " will not stand, and its excavation be prohibitive." • We are told by E Dobson M. Inst. C. E. that ."with the' exercise of sound judgment in the design and carrying out. of the works, _^ the sum.: in., .round

numbers, of .£3OOOO should be sufficiant fpr their. execution" but this did not include any sums which may have to be paid in compensation with regard tc land or severance." A portion of the i>3oooo, or some money is now owing. Has sound judgement characterised the. expenditure so far? Let us suppose the works are carried, Out. from the consulting engineers estimate, we have then to face the cost of land&c, and as the batter of the terraces will not stand till the natural slope of the face of the" terraces is reached the soil will fall into and over our race by day and night time, blocking water which must then break over, the. south, side of the race and scour it on to tne flats of J. & Gorton Esq's or the bed of the river. If the race is gone on with the prohibtive cost of excavation must force itself on our notice as a less batter " than the natural slope of the face of the terrace, will not stand."

iThe Boards ? petition to the . House of Representatives shows the necessity for an Amendment Act in the Boards opinion. No money should be expended till safetyis secured by the postage through the Mouse of an Amendment Act on the lines of that presented by the Water SupplyBoard. Clause 7of the Act recommended by the Board says " That the said Board now finds that the powers delegated to it are insufficient toproperly carry out the said scheme." This shows that if carried out iinder the powers now delegated to. the Water Supply Board the scheme will be improperly carried out. On this account if on no other, it should be stopped till security is afforded by "the passage of an Amendment Act. Lands included in the ! Water Supply Area. It is now admitted that the Oxford Biding Swamps P ' are included up to the' b6undry of. the, SupplyArea with, probably^ one owner ezcepted. This means a contraction of the Area or injustice to the owners of these swamps/ For an Irrigation Scheme large Main Channels must go, through; many owners lands more so especially m, the Oxford Biding where distributing channels will not have materially lessoned their volume, Owners who will objeet ,to water may tryto get out of the enormous "prohibitive** maintenance charges and those caught in. interest and maintenance^ charges will insist that such owners pay at least the 16/25th, of a penny and their full pro.portion of future loans. -I am of opinion there is a tangle, and invite my fellowratepayers i» review our'p'asition. Kegrets aad anger are vain, aid unworthy of ns, but the position demands our closest attention, and let the result of our investigations be'Bhown von the; approachingpolUng ;day. .by returning men who will clear the tangle and bring water from oar safest int ake: at the lowest price consistent with efficiency. John O'Hallorah.