“AS MUCH AS TANGARAKAU”

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1932, Page 3

“AS MUCH AS TANGARAKAU”

FIRE PREMIUMS AT WESTOWN. REPORT ON WATER PRESSURE. “We pay the same rate for water as other suburbs, but pay as much in fire insurance premiums as, say,Tangarakau,” wrote Mr. E. Deacon, honorary secretary of the Westown Progressive Association, to the. New. Plymouth . Borough Council last night. His ‘association had been in touch with the Underwriters’ Association, Auckland, through the New Plymouth reference committee and had been informed that reductions, in premiums at Westown could not be made as the reticulation was not yet completed and the water pressure was lower than the -pressure in other suburbs. The association asked the council to take steps to increase the pressure. . The engineer (Mr. C. Clarke) reported as follow:—■

The water .pressure in Upper Westown has been considerably increased since the large direct main was.laid. The pressures are, however, not yet up to standards required iby the Fire Underwriters’. Association. As th© council is aware,, the high head, has not yet ibeen put into operation and consequently the water pressures of-the- whole .of the borough are 49 to 45 pounds to the , square inch below what is available when the supply is drawn direct from the high. head. I have purposely avoided drawing from the high head on account of - possible contamination caused through decaying organic matter in Lake Mangamahoa. L had intended to recommend the council to dispense with the present filters and draw direct from the high head in No.vember . next.

I may have been over-cautious in this matter but have had in mind an undertaking given the Health Department by the council whereby it was agree that the council would if called.ppon by the Health Department instal filters on the high head. The initial and operative costs of filters would be a serious drain on the council’s finances, but should never bo necessary providing all reasonable precautions are taken. For the council’s information, a comparison of pressures between the low and high heads taken at various points points in the town’s reticulation was

given. The Mayor said the /engineer was wise in not turning on the high head . < until all trace of organic matter had disappeared from the lake. The Health Department was prepared to assist the council, but it would not be advisable. to take the slightest risk of receiving an adverse report from the department, which might mean the installation of costly filters. Mr. Clarke said the pressures at Westown were good fire-fighting pressures and it was rediculous that the premium rates there should, be as high as in small outside places without as good a water service. The brigade had extinguished several fires in the district. Cr. Darby said it ■ was unfortunate that the pressures were not recognised 1 as sufficient by the Underwriters’ Association. Mr. Clarke said the pressures at Westown were actually better than those of some other towns with low pressures. They were better than Hawera’s, but he did not think the .premium rates at' Hawera were as high as those at Westown. ' • ; Remarking that given the information contained in the engineer’s report the progressive association could again approach the underwriters and tha Mayor moved that a copy of the report be forwarded to the association. This was carried.