The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1899.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11526, 16 May 1899, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1899.

Our exposure "of the utter inutility of the so-called tests lately carried on at the waterworks has brought out two champions who profess to see in our remarks nothing but incoherency and inaccuracy. We will leave "E. 0." to reply to that portion of Mr Okey'd letter specially directed to him, feeling 1 assured that he will be able to completely substantiate what he has already written. Mr Okey says we have gone to a good deal of trouble and quite out of our way to write what we appear to kuow very little about. Whatever trouble we have gone to is in the public interest, and we have "yet to learn that a newspaper goes out of its way to discuss a public matter in which many of its readers are vitally interested. His queries us to our cngincciin/f abilities and our knon ledge of the woi king of tho pumps aro beside the questiou. According to Mr Bellringer it is impossible to accurately measure the quantity of water pumped in a given time. If that is so, the effect of the " improvements" can only be estimated more or lees roughly. Mr Okey does not believo the leaks have been stopped as reported, preferring to believe that tho reduction in the hours of pumping is due to the alterations made in the pumps. We most emphatically differ from that view. The .Waterworks Engineer was instructed to inspect the services, and as a result of his inspection reported numerous leaks, which ruust have aggregated many millions of gallons of water per annum, and in order to allow our readers to judge for themselves we invite them to study these .facts. A saving of about 30 hours' pumpi"g per week is claimed, which at 25,000 gallons per hour, the conceded Approximate capacity of the pumps, is 750,000 gallons per week) or 39,000,000 gals, per year. Mr Wray reported — and his report is corroborated by Mr T. li. Skinner, whose word will be accepted vithotit question— that he discovered two leaks which, on being measured, were found to bo wasting water al the rate of over ],000,000 gals. I per year each. Mr Skinner saw others with equal waste, and ho did not accompany Mr Wray very far. Mr Wray reported, in addition to the two measured, others leaking in a less degree, besides thiee or four^vater closets with a continuous flow, and oter twenty water closets which ""be describes as water wasters. lie also reported that he had stopped over 80 moro or less Berious leaks, and drew attention to at least 50 others which wanted attention ; and yet at the time of that report, whole blockshad hot been inspected at all. Altogether, he stated, probably one tap ill every three in the Bdrongli leaked, from a drip to millions of gallons.. At one establishment he found 13 taps out of 15 leaking ; two others which he named had " very bad leaks of long standing;" and at others " constant flow with great waste." Most of these leaks were stopped by him, while tho test was being mado at the works, resulting, ns Mr Skinner predicted in his report, in reduced time required for pumping. Yet we aro asked to believo that the stoppage of leaks which,- at a moderate estimate, must have aggregated from 30 to 40 millions ol gallons per annum has had little effect on the pumping, and that nearly all the saving ia due to tho

alterations effected by Mr Okey. Fortunately for Mr Wray, ho took the precaution of asking Mr Skinner to accompany him on his inspection, so that his figures, wlieie he gives them definitely, cannot bo doubted, and it ij impossible to conceive that two experts can have seriously overestimated the waste that they found going on. The two leaks which they actually measured would require a quarter of an hour's pumping every day to make good, or 1| hours a week out of the 30 saved. Thero were other

leaks of equal magnitude and scores of smaller ones. Mr Okey must think our readers very easily gulled to be led as-

tray by his asseniou that three-fonrths of the saving is due to improvements in tho pumping gear. That thero will always bo waste is no doubt true, but it can bo reducod to a iiiiniinum by efficient inspection. As lor tho " improvements," it remains to bo seen whether they aro of any service at all. It may turn out tbat their effect is the rovcrso of what was intended. Mr Brooking's letter really calls for little or no reply. Ho hns

:al<en great pains to describe the wntcr-

works, lnit.it is evident his knowledge of them is very superficial. In ono reapectonly docs ho find a weak plnao in what wo

have written, and tliat is about tho £150 bonus. Tho wish that tho ratepayers might bo sived il.i< bnrron outlay was porhapß lather to tho thought-; upon second thoughts it occurs to us that it may possibly cost tho Borough a great derl more than that, for tho conditions

of the competition worn bo loosely find curelotfely drawn that it iH'quiic on the cards (hat moro than ono of tho competitors will cltvim thy first bonus, and,

what is more, be able to substantiate his claim in a court of law. That, how3ver, is ar.otb.er story. On a future Dccasion we may have something to say upon those portions of Mr Skinner's and Mr Wray's reports which deal with the sanitary condition of- the town. In the meantime we aie content to let our readers judge whether the stoppage of. some of the waste of water in tho Borough or the alteration in the pumplDg gear is chiefly responsible for the saviDg ol time at the pumping station. Mr J. Ward has decided to allow hitnfeelf to be nominated for one of the West Ward vacancies in the Borough Council. The New South Wales Minister for 1 Education proposes to build a techoical college for Broken Hill at a cost of £8000 or £10,000. The Danneviyke School Committee has iefused a request to allow the State school to be used one day in each week for the purpose of Bible instruction. Mr H. T. Ainsworth, treasurer of the St John Ambulance {Society, desires to acknowledge receipt of a donation of £1 Is from Mr J. B. Roy towards the Society's funds. Constable McAnerin brought a native named Hauraki, from Mokau to New Plymouth on Monday to undergo a month's imprisonment for non payment of a five imposed recently for sly grogselling. At the Young Meii'd Literary and Debating Society tosmorrow evening, any member present may act as a councillor, representing any part of the Thorough that he may wish It is to be hoped that every part will be represented, so thit justice may be done to all.

At the Land Baard meeting on Monday au application was made by M. Ryan and three other Improved Farm settlers in the Ngaire Block to have sec 35, block 11, cut up feo that they might increase their holdings. Iho application was not entertained

The Dunedin agent of Turnbull, Martin and Co. has cabled to the former captain of tho Perthshire to accept any underwriters' Eearch expedition for the overdue steamer. It is believed the vessel became disibled shortly after leaving Sjdney, and has been carried north-east by the current out of the regular steamer track.

H.M.S. Roya'iat, whosa period of service on the Australasian Btation is now up, has left Samoa for Homo via. Sydney, and was given a hearty send-off by the crews of the other British and the American warships, and oven those of the German vessel, tho Falke. The Royalist, which is a vessel of au obsolete type, will, on arrival in England, go out of comm'ssion altogether.

Iv is stated tint Hugh«on, the uufortu» nate senman who washed off the Takapuna, though born nnd brought up among shipping folk, could not swim a stroke. When found the poor fellow waa clinging to a companion ladder, which was washed off the vessel by the same sea that took him overboard, and which he evidently, by some strange chance, came in contact wi'h after he had been carried over the railing.

The reception of Captoio Russell at Stratford was a credit to the people. So says a local paper, which goes -on to state that "after the first few minutes the nudier.ee simply refused to take Lim (Captain Kus.sel!) seriously. . . and treated his moat serious statements with ironical cheers and laughter." If such a reception of the Leader of the Opposition is creditab'e lo the people of Stratford, what would a discreditable reception be. Pandemonium ?

The New Plymouth Literary and Debating Society held a very successful meeting on Monday evening, the room being crowded to its uimost. The Pros sident, Dr Hutchinson, occupied the chair. The programme, which wbb much appreciated, was as follows : — Pianoforte duet, Misses Hursthouse and George; pianoforte solo, Miss .Wilson; songs by Rev F. G. Evans, Mr Rudd, and Miss Douglas. Capital recitations were given by Miss D. Taylor anU Mr M. Boult. Refreshments were banded round. The graphophone and galvanic battery added much to the enjojment of (Us evening Mr W. Collid was appointed to the Com mittee, Miss Hirst was elected Treasurer, and Mr R. E Dowle. Secretary.

When the Harbour Board met to-day (Tuesday) Mr Davies rose and made a peisonal explanation regarding his action in connection with the recent wharf dispute. He said it had been stated in tho papers that he did not inform the Chairman of the course he intended taking at the last meeting, and two or three members of tho Board seemed to be under the tame impression. Such was not tho case. When he entered the Board room he told the Chairman, and they talked the matter over during the dinner adjournment. He considered the explanation necessary, as it might appear to those who did not know the facts that h ; s action was unfair. The Chairman said be could bear out what Mr Davits bad stated. He had been infoimed of the course proposed to be tukon the morning the Board met.

Speaking to a Fan Francisco reporter recently concerning the death of Lkufc. Angel flops Freeman, of H M.S Tau« ranga, at fcS;>moa, Mr James MacMabon, who was a guest on board tho Tatlranga during an island cruiie of over a year ngo, says: ''We went from Australia to the New Hebiidos, thence to New Caledouia It waa while we were at Tauna, theuotorious borne of cant ibals, that Freeman earned a soubriquet. There had been a murder or two ashore, and we had, as a matter of ciursPj to support our end of 'the wMto man's burden' by burning a few villages and arresting some n itive chiefs. Freeman went into lha business wivh unusual rigour, and as Captain Brown stood on the bridge of the Tawanga be^ side me he ex> laime J, ' We must call him the destrojing augel in future ' "

At the Ilarboor ßoari meeting to day (Tuesday) Mr Marehiuit, 0.E., reported, under dato 10th May, ihat ho had just returned from an inspection of the sanJ pumping nitchiDcry now beinj made by Messrs Moigan & Cable," Port Chalmorw. The work, he stated, will be fiuit-bed altogether in. about three or four weeks' tirao. So far it has been executed in a first-class and most satisfactory rnsmer. lie also asked for instructions concerning the erection of the plant, and whether the Board would prefer the plant to remain unerected until the arrival of the force pump and engine from England, when the whole affair and ita primary working could be done together at one operation. The Chairman said the very satisfactory result of tha dredging operations and the marked improvement in tho condition of the harbour did not make tho erection of the pumping plant a matter of urgency.^ He thorofore SU^* gos»ted that Mr Marrhant'n visit should be deferred for tho present. The Boird agreed to this course

It will bo remembered that more than once attempts have been made to obtuin a reduction in tho freights on merchandise between this port und Wellington, so fur without avail, tho oxcuso boiug made that owing to lack of accommodation at Moturoa delays to steamers were frequent. This drawback is now removed, and tho time has come when another effort should lo mado to socuro a reduction . As an alternative it is auggeated by Mr Chew Ohong, who called upon us on Monday on the matter, tint the question of the formation of a local company to obtain two steainors, ono to trade between here nnd Wollingtou, tho other to Onehunga, Bhould bo taken up. Mr Ohong ia confident that tho idea would bo heartily supported, and that the result of plaoing locally owned steamers in tho trado would bo iigrenl accoohion of busineßS (o trio j.orfc. an well an an tipprecmblo waving to tho '"iiuirul public, who would ioip tho boncfi 1 ; c£ reduced freights. For Bronchial Coughs tako Woudu Grout Popporinint Ouro, J/G and 2/6 °

Captiin Edwin wired to«day :—lndications for frost to-night, and for low tides.

Mr Campbell, the landlord of the Taranaki Hotel, asks us to state that Professor Richardson is not staying at his house.

The Rotoifci left Onehungaat 1 o'clock to-day, and is expected at the breakwater early to-morrow morning. She leaves for the south at 10 o'clock the same morning.

Instead of the usual smoke concert, members of the Bowling Club intend to hold a social this year at which their lady friends' will be entertained. A committee has been appointed to arrange details for the gathering, which will tak&plaoe somo time next month.

Prime fat wethers and lamb ] , fit for freezing, advanced still further in price at Addington last week, lambs reaching 16s 4d, and one pen 17s 9d, while freezing wethers went as high as 21s, and extra heavy prime wethers to 23s 6d.

The Southland petition to Mr Seddon in favour of legislation to prevent young children from being in the stree s and public places after certain hours at night is ten yards long, and contains 14,000 signatures. Tho petition will be forwarded to Wellington in a few days.

The Legislature of the State of Arkansis, believing cigarettes to be deleterious to health, has enacted a law prohibiting ia any circumstances the selling or giving away of cigarettes to any person. The penalty for the violation of this law is not less than £100 or more than £1000.

" As over 20,000 yards o£ sand are beina; removed every month, which is tqual to two years' dredging iv the old time, you will recognise that a great change is taking place in the harbour," remarked the Chairman of the Harbour Board to day (Tuesday). Mr Conuett said it could not help being recognised that there had been a very noticeable improvement, and he was pleased to acknowledge that fact- comments which seemed lo be generally echoed by mem* bers of the Board. The "Mayor of Wellington, Mr J. R. Blair, has under way a scheme for the carrying out of important works for <ho advancement of the city. The total sum involved is about £306,000. and includes the acquisition of tho tramways and electric light, wood paving of the principal thorough) ares, improvement of waterworks system, street widening, and new Town Hall 'I he necessary Bili is being drafted, and will f-hortly be submitted to the City Council for consideration. •Mr L. R. Morshead, son of Mr E. J. Mon-head, of Wellington, called on me (NZ. Herald's Homo correspondent) a c*ay or two ago, and we bad a pleasant chat. Mr Morshead is still going through hi* couis > of study and practice in electric engineering at the Fiusbury Technical Callege, and with remarkable success, having come out "at the iop" in eat-b of the last two terms He is working very hard, aud should have an excellent career before him in these days when electric engineers are in such 'arge demand. Mr Morshead is living at Wanstead, in Essex. The death is announced at New York of Mr Allan Wright, who was regarded as the matt expert compositor in tho Australian colonies. He waa a native of Auckland, and went to America about fourteen years ago. The New York Evening Journal, which describes deceased as "one of ihe widest known and expert -proof readers,' fetaus. that Wright dieil • iv Bt-llevue Hostital from the effects of knock-out drops (presumably, drugs) administered with the object of robbery, it being known that Wright usually carried "a large sum of money upon him. He was seen in company with two men, and suddenly collapsed, whereupon his companions decamped. Wright was found unconscious, and died there. He was 54 years old, and was employed by the Winthrop Press .and other first-class publishing houses. He spent the greater part of the day previous to his death at the head-quarters of the Typographical Union, of which he was a member, chatting with his fellows. When be left he was perfectly sober, and had his bank book with him.