STATEMENT BY MAYOR

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXII, Issue 8873, 19 February 1943, Page 2

STATEMENT BY MAYOR

"COUNCIL ALIVE TO POSITION" STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN Speaking generally about the water-supply of the borough, the Mayor, Mr Wallnutt, said he would like to point out that the council had been fully alive to the position for some time, but had to -meet extreme disabilities because of the condition of the pipes, which were put down when the town was reticulated about 40 years ago. "Because our undertakings have not yet been published in the Press, it does not follow r that the council can be accused of neglect," said Mr Wallnutt. "The council has not been asleep in the matter. It has had a conference with the Waihi Fire Board, and has a scheme in hand which will have the effect of dispensing with the necessity of applying for a very substantial loan and consequent raising of rates. Incidentally, the council has spent approximately £IOOO on an alignment pipe from the reservoir, and has authorised the purchase of 150 feet of spiral piping. As a result of a blowout in the main pipeline, 30 feet of new piping has been substituted for old piping. "One fact is outstanding: were a new pipeline put down from the reservoir to the commencement of the cast-iron mains—a distance of one and a-half miles—the pressure so far as the town is concerned would not be increased or otherwise improved because of the condition of the reticulation caused by erosion. During the Christmas holidays the engineer, Mr Bourke, procured from the Devonport Borough Council a pipe-cleaning machine for 4-inch mains, and later, with myself, visited a Mt. Albert firm and was successful in obtaining a machine to deal with S-inch mins. I would point out that the old reservoir on Martha Hill, which was used in the early days of Waihi, and which has a capacity of 40,000 to 50,000 gallons, could be used as an auxiliary supply for the town; and that its capacity could be increased by raising the walls. "May I add," concluded the Mavor,

"that any complaint should be made direct to the engineer, thus preventing much delay."