FREEZING WORKS AND WATER SUPPLY

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2953, 27 November 1900, Page 3

FREEZING WORKS AND WATER SUPPLY

In the course of the discussion on the supply of water to the freezing works as the Borough Council meeting last night die Mayor stated that the mills in Timaru. for the 18,000,000 gallons per annum the; contracted for as a minimum at Id pe 1000, would pay £75, and plus about £5 for rates, they would pay £125, wherea; the freezing company offered 4d per 1000 or £166 for a minimum of ten millions and they might take twenty millions o; more at the same price.

Councillor Hawkey opposed the motioi to let the company have the water at 4c per 1000. The water cost the Council 3d or to bring it into Timaru foi bare expenses, and in ■addition to that it would cost £546 to supply the water. There was not enough margin between tin cost and the price offered. He discounter Councillor Young’s argument that the works benefited the town; they were not carried on to benefit the town, but t< earn dividends, and as for the shipping work, the company would ship at Washdyke if it paid them to do so. There was nothing left for any contingencies such as slips in the small margin offered, te say nothing of the expense of taking the water to the works. Severed questions were asked as to whether it would be necessary to spend the £322 at once to strengthen the supply, and the Inspector said it would be desir able, practically necessary, to spend aboui half of it at once, as well as the £225. Councillor Gabites was opposed to tin reduction. It was merely a haggle by ;■ rich company over about £3O. If the} wanted the water they could well affon to pay for it. In reply to Councillor Sea-ley, the Mayosaid the company proposed a four years contract. Councillor Healey remarked that tw( years' payments would, be spent on tin extension, and the wafey would bo cheap enough a( sij q s i it cosy them 3]d. CoiiiiciUiV Mills thought they should be satisfied if they got more than the watei cost them, and anyone who had the interests of the town at heart should be glad to give the works water for nothing. They would get it all back through the works Councillor Macintosh would oppose the motion. The Council had tpet t jus freezing company very liberally. If they were in the borough they, would have to pay Is 6d for engine supplies. The Counci' reduced that to one-third, and then to 5d The matter should be dealt with on a business footing, and the cost price was too near 4d to accept this as a selling price for a big supply. If they accepted it, anyone else starting an industry would be entitled to the same treatment. He referred to the tannery at Saltwater Creek, charged 2s 6d per 1000, And the argument

of employment of labour applied to a tannery, lor ttiere was one at Cnristchurch employing 800 hands all the year round, not like the freezing works here for six months, and then turning the%nen adrift, The freezing company did not study the town, but dividends, and they were right in trying to make the best oargain they could. But 5d was an equitable price for both Council and company, and it showed what “ hard nails ” they were when they wriggle and fight over £4l for the best water in New Zealand. - Councillor McNab opposed the reduction. He agreed that the freezing works benefited the town, but so also did every other industry, but like others it was not started for the benefit of the town. He did not think the company were very anxious about the water, as theyjiad been negotiating two or three years, and at last had not replied to a letter sent them eleven days ago. The Mayor contended that at 4d the company would be paying more than the town mills, including rates, if they took the same quantity as the mills, and the probability was that they would take more. They had'the water to spare, and both the town and the company would benefit by the sale. Councillor Young in his reply pointed out that the objectors had only reckoned on the company paying for ten millions, whereas they might take twice as much. Councillor Young’s motion, seconded by Councillor Mills, was lost by a large majority.