The Southland Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. Luceo Non Uro.

Southland Times, Issue 3294, 10 January 1879, Page 2

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. Luceo Non Uro.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 10. «» Fob the first time 1 in the annals of the town, a poll of the ratepayers . mil be taken to-day, outside of politics, to decide a question belonging to the class of those which' have hitherto been entrusted to the administration of the Town Council. The wisdonTof the proceeding is, however, not to be doubted,~f or where the expenditure of very large suras of money is concerned it is but meet and proper that the ratepayers should be appealed to more directly than through - their representatives, the issueshaving first been very clearly submitted to them. The question thatis to agitate the town to-day, thoroughly we trust, is the all important one of a water supply. It has been on the tapis for years past, and not a subject of ..local interest has, inour recollection, more stirred the jpeople than this one of water. It has .beeii' well ventilated, too ; the advocates of the various schemes proposed have not been backward in placing their views before the piiblic ; controversy, in fact, has almbstrun to seed. Then came its practical application in' referring the whole question to the ..opinion of an expert of high standing. On all hands, Mr Gordon, of Victoria, was admitted to be a trustworthy authority, and during his stay here he certainly paid -.. close attention to the duties entrusted to him, and what is *;more, unhesitatingly accepted, the .responsibility attached to guiding the corporation to a final decision. The report lie sent in .was .exhaustive, and to our view conclusive. He carefully weighed the

merits of the schemes proposed, v and especially the two modes of supply by pumpiug and gravitation and his verdict went in favor of the former. Mr Gordon stands to the corporation in the light of a professional adviser ; unable to agree amongst themselves, the latepayers called in: an arbitrator, and it may well be asked, Would it not appear somewhat inconsistent to reject his advice on the strength of merely lay opinion? It is true that the Dunsdale "gr&vitatioirschettieis most o.bjectiqnable^tp many of the ratepayers. Objection is taken to its costliness, and to the uncertainty of its action afterwards. It has been said that " the fall "is insufficient to overcome the friction. of thirty miles "of piping, and that the fall itself as given was not that ascertained by Mr Gordon's own observations. These objections we can only regard as mere excuses. "- The line "of \ country to be traversed by the pipes was surveyed by another professional/man, also "having a reputation at stake in the, matter and we should say that his results ought to be accepted as reliable., ,When these latter questions were raised a couple of months ' or so ago the Council at once took steps to allay doubt by placing thenrbefore Mr Gordon at Melbourne, and, more than that, the book in which the corporation surveyor who took the levels made his entries was also sent across to Mr Gordon. The reply of the latter was assuring. He reiterated his former statements respecting pressure and the heights the jets wonld be .thrown, and having examined the level book he pronounced jit to be in order and to be accepted as authoritative. And so the ease stands. On the one hand is professional opinion favoring the gravitation scheme, on the other lay opinion, emanating from highly intelligent men no doubt, but still ouly lay. The question fit cost too has been a disturbing factor of the argument: In the eyes of -many £100,000 seems an' enormous sum to lay out, but may it not be asked whether the dearest scheme at the outset may not be the cheapest in the long run? Certainly gravitation, wherever the mode can be applied, is regarded as preferable to any other, and especially has claims for accept- j ance where "the source of the water supply I of a rival plan -is uncertain. However, it is \ for the ratepayers to decide ; the issue rests with them, and the box to-day will i we hope settle the vexed question once and for all. _ _______