THE WATER QUESTION.

Southland Times, Issue 17347, 19 May 1913, Page 4

THE WATER QUESTION.

While members of the Town Caavtll will not admit that there is any necessity for consulting with a committea of citizens in regard to the water question most of them appear to realise that'the citizens are not yet in a position to give a decision as between the pumping and gravitation schemes. Each scheme has a body of supporters, but apart from these two bodies there is a very large section of the ratepayers who have been confused and perplexed by the controversy which has been carried on, and the Council has not placed them in possession of the information which is necessary to cleat away their doubts. Their difficulty lies in the fact that they do not know whether the pumping scheme is really an alternative to the gravitation scheme. No thoroughly satisfactory test has been carried out, and the people do not yet know whether in the event of their voting for the pumping scheme the Council will be able to obtain water from underground sources. The test of the six-inch bore which is to be made will he of some assistance. The test should be carried out promptly with the best apparatus available, and the result should be made known as widely and as fully as possible. In the present position of the question it is very unlikely that the ‘ ratepayers will sanction an expenditure of £60,000. Even those who are doubtful with regard to the underground supply will not vote for the gravitation scheme until they have been quite convinced that there is no less expensive alternative. Mr Ott has some ground for thinking that the ratepayers will refuse to sanction either scheme, but if one scheme is approved it will probably be the pumping scheme as Cr. Moffett anticipates. If the pumping scheme is approved the Council will have to make the tests that it might very well make now in order to satisfy the ratepayers. On the other hand if neither scheme is approved. then, as Cr. Lillicrap puts it, "the Council will have to handle the matter." which moans that it will have io begin all over again.