THE COLONIST. NELSON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1858.

Colonist, Issue 86, 17 August 1858, Page 2

THE COLONIST. NELSON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1858.

One great advantage of living in a colony is, that the 'inhabitants of it arc, fortunately for their own benefit, not members of the Circumlocution Office. A subject, once properly and fully brought before their notice, is one to which they will give an hearing. We have been told long ago that selfpreservation is one of the great first laws which govern humanity; and we in Nelson have had the sad gratification of learning our lesson from those who have suffered. "We need hardly say that we allude to the recent losses in Auckland by fire. We should not forget that we might have had an account published of the destruction of. our town, so far as we have taken means to prevent it. Let us be seriously thankful that we can learn a lesson from a sister province, and not be the actual sufferers. The necessity which here exists of making our habitations of a readily consumed material, should advocate additional caution on our part. We have to forget the security which our English experience would engender. The ready supply of water, the rapid transit of engine after engine to the scene of the disaster, and that still more effectual barrier, the party wall, built according to the provisions of au Act specially passed with a view to such occurrences. Here, if a fire breaks out, we have at present no more effectual means of suppressing it, than,a cordon of all who will voluntarily serve ta,r«. psss the opposing element in small quantities from hand to band. A matured 'system is entirely wanting. It behoves us, therefore, carefully to look around us and see what natural ad-/ vantages may be brought to help our present inefficient supply. It is so well known that the property of liquids is to seek their own level, that it would stand to reason, that could we find a supply of water at a level so, much'higher'than that of the town we inhabit, we should be some-, thing worse than suicides did we not avail ourselves of it. The position of Nelson as a town would favor such a surmise, and upon examination we find that it has not been incorrectly made. There is a supply of water which can be conducted to this town from so high a level, that should necessity occur the loftiest building which we possess woul3 be entirely under its control. It has been advertised in the public newspapers that a meeting will be held in the Odd Fellows' Hall on Wednesday (to-morrow) night. We will not entirely assume that the remarks of the Press have caused that requisition which was forwarded to his Honor the Superintendent, but we may honestly say that we have been accessoiy to it. Public attention has been aroused, and no matter what the means, so long as they be honest—the effect has followed. Having been the first to call that public attention to the matter, we may be pardoned if we still enlarge upon the subject; and as we consider that he who writes should, be intimately acquainted with the subject he discourses •upon, we thought that a personal inspection of the proposed reservoir would be the proper course before doing as we now do, viz., calling upon the public to use their most strenuous exertions to see that work completed. It will be here necessary for us to enter somewhat into, detail as to the. way in which this proposed benefit can be attained. We have taken the opinion of a gentleman well versed in such matters, and will now state the result. In the Brook-street Valley there exists a stream of water which has never, so far. as the experience of those residing in Nelson; can. say, failed. In the driest weather there is a continual supply, and we may now refer to an examination which we made as to the quantity an aqueduct which has been formed for the supply of Campbell's mill is now affording. An amount of upwards of four cubic yards of water per minute is continually passing. This would be a sufficient supply for the entire town, for we shall find on calculation that in the course of twenty-four hours there could be five thousand seven hundred and sixty cubic yards of water regularly supplied. Thus if the entire population of the province were residenthere we could supply nearly one cubic yard of water per diem to each individual. This statement is subject to a question which may be asked as to whether in the driest season this supply could be guaranteed, and we believe that it could, for we would call particular attention to this fact —that we have not taken our estimate of supply from the stream itself, but from a subsiduary aqueduct. The amount of water which actually flows down the valley is more than treble that which we have taken as a guide. On a question like this, no greater error could be committed than the erection of works which should hereafter prove futile; and every means should be resorted to, and e very expeiience tested, before an outlay of public money should be sanctioned. There are gentlemen resident here who are well acquainted with such matters, and in their hands should be left the duty of bringing forward a clear statistical account of actual flow. We must also call attention to that which is peculiar to many of our Colonial streams, that they have a larger body of water at a high elevation than they have when subjected to the processes of evaporation and absorption during a long course. Of the reservoir itself we may also speak, and here Nature seems to have done her best to forward our wishes; a natural hollow at one point, that where the stream makes its exit, narrowed to so close an approach that a few feet of stonework would control it, and leave a basin already to our hand of from three to four acres. this not be deemed sufficient, by still further rising the valey, we find a second and more capacious basin. This would involve the necessity of fifty yards of stonework; with these or either of them constantly filled, as they would be, we should, by means of pipes brought into the town, have a ready means always at hand of suppressing any accidental fire which might occur,— together with the advantage of being enabled, at a comparatively small cost, to have a high service in all our principal streets. Should it be so argued that this supply be not sufficient, we find that another gully will also afford us an addition in combination with it. Where the road turns suddenly to the right is that valley where Newport's cottage is. This brings also a supply of water to a lower level than the proposed reservoir, but which, by a small embankment, might be made to add its supply at the same level, and so, joining the mains at the present confluence, give us the double advantage." We have, we think, shewn sufficiently that we can be supplied, and it now remains for us to judge as to the best and most practical way in which it can be effected. There are two ways which may be proposed—one is by a private company, and the other by making it a public movoment. In the latter case, the Board of Works seems to be the most eligible body to take charge of, the measure. In this case there would neceesa-

rily be a rate levied to provide against the expenditurp; and this very rate would be the cause of much private heart-burnings. Some property would not be benefitted by it, and therefore could not be rated ; and it would open a certain amount of jealousy. The lower rate of insurance would, we think, almost compensate those rated, for, after all, it merely resolves itself into a .question of common safety. ,;

The great objection which would occur'" to all, should it be proposed to leavp'fit under private management, is, that companies'"hitherto have not been highly successful here, and that we should require to go further than the limits of our own province to find the necessary capital. The Board of Works could offer security upon a rate levied in such a way that every year a portion should be set aside for a Sinking Fund, to pay back the capital borrowed. A private company would httve no such advantage, and must depend upon the personal responsibility of its proposers for its ultimate success. These are questions which are *airly before the public, and which it will be their duty to give an expression of opinion upon tomorrow. The great point at issue is satisfactorily proved to all, and the details now are all that have to. be considered. This may cause some little delay ; but in so important a question, were all are unanimous as to the utility, we do. not expect to find private interests warring against the general good. To the good sense of Nelson, then,, we leave to decide hovy .the matter shaU be conducted to maturity, and; -ftJel that forohcewe have been singularly fortunate in.. advocating a measure which all seem to consider necessary, and of which the minor arrangements alone have to be completed.