THE WATER SUPPLY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11141, 3 December 1907, Page 7

THE WATER SUPPLY.

o APPRECIATED BY RATEPAYERS. Those who foretold that once the water supply was installed the people of Gisborne would never want to go back on their bargain is being fully borne out this summer. Without the supply Gisborne "would have been m a bad state to-day for want of water, owing to the spell of dry weather. "Yes," said a citizen, speaking to a reporter, "I'nt like everyone else m that I do not care for paying rates, but that for the water I will pay_ most willingly, for regarding it from a purely commercial aspect, it has been a most profitable investment to me. I consider that if I were charged full tariff rates for water used on the garden, I would still be ahead of the cost by as much as the year's rate will come to. But that is not the only way to look at it. The pleasure of seeing the lawn and flowers nourishing at a time when everything would ordinarily be coated brown or dried up, is a good deal for a person of taste to be thankful for j and then, to consider the question of household cleanliness. This time last year one had to be content with a sponge bath, and the members of the household generally ljad to be taught to.be sparing with the water, even if a little grime had to be left on after the bath. Now, one can fill the bath to the brim as often as he chooses, and the kiddies can revel iii the water to their hearts' content. As far as one can judge, the supply is as near perfection as we can look for, and we have all to 1 be thankful that the' larger supply was adopted. I was a believer m Waihirere at the. time, and thought the work should \ have been gone on with there, but it must be quite clear now to anyone that that source would not have been sufficient to meet the needs of Gisborne at the present day. Though I still believe it would have suited its time I admit that we are well out of it." "Do you think there is any likelihood, as # some people have suggested, that the burden, of the rate will beconje .too -great for»Gisbome to bear under the present scheme?" asked the reporter. . "No ; that is all moonshine^ No doubt it will pinch some people a little, as any rate would, but I think they will admit soon, if they do not do so now, : that the valuei i they receive will far .outweigh the cost of them. The trouble is m regard to houses that are rented, and the owners of which object to go to the expense of putting m the water. As to how this difficulty should be settled I' am. not prepared to say; it occurs elsewhere,' and generally adjusts itself,' the tenant preferring the house where the water is obtainable, and the landlord getting recomV pense m a little extra rent where he ; can do so. To my mind , the greatest event of Mr Townley's long career as Mayor has been the turning: on of the >yater supply. Our hope now must be that it will remain plentiful and good, and that the lines of pipes will riot, give any trouble to maintain, in order," ; The' reporter went into the subject with several others, including one or two who .had; opposed ; the scheme, and they were unanimous m expressing .pleasure that the scheme had been so successfully consummated, and m the belief that.. .the' matter of the rate was a small one indeed as compared to the great advantages gained. : ,