Wellington Independent "NOTHING EXTENUATE; NOR SRT DOWN AUGHT IN MALICE." TUESDAY, 19th FEBRUARY, 1867.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXI, Issue 2482, 19 February 1867, Page 3

Wellington Independent "NOTHING EXTENUATE; NOR SRT DOWN AUGHT IN MALICE." TUESDAY, 19th FEBRUARY, 1867.

Great inventions are generally found to be very simple when known. Great discoveries may be put in the same category. "When Columbus made the egg stand on end the knowing ones stood and stared ; when some one invented the perforating machine for the separaiion of stamps, the world said why was not this thought of before ? We have long been crying out fora water supply for this city, and various plans have been suggested, more or less grand in design, and expensive in character. While we have talked, Messrs Beck and Carter have initiated a system, which we hope is only the commencement of an ample supply of water. The plan which they have adopted is so simple, and its uses so great, as to bring it within the category of a grand discovery, for tho chief difficulty is the financial one, and they have shown that the object to be sought may be carried out at small expense. They have simply driven a tunnel through tho nearest hill to the beach, as far as the next valley, or gully. In the tunnel itself there appears to be a considerable supply of water, and from the gully the quantity is at least equal to the supply of the shipping. A commencement having been made, it is to be hoped that before long we shall see an ample supply of water in all parts of the town. The same conditions which exist in Messrs Beck and Carter's tunnel are found in almost every surrounding locality. There are numerous ridges which may be tunnelled, and these have their corresponding guliies. If we cast our c} r es upon the stately and elegant mansion lately erected by Captain Ehodes at Wade's Town, we may perceivo, standing prominently in front, the first fountain in Wellington. Wo have not yet observed the play of waters from its orifice, but suppose that this must necessarily follow. Those who haveseen the splendid fountains of Borne, or even those of Paris, will hail with pleasure this advent of an improvement, which we trust will soon be followed by numerous others. Along the slope of the Tinakori range many clear and sparkling springs issue from the hill sides particularly behind the I'esidence of the Premier and other adjoining tenements. These only require to be collected together to form a strong stream, which might be carried by a pipe to the proposed reservoir behind the Government buildings, thence it might be brought to a fountain near the front gate of the same premises, and thence to another fountain in front of Government House. Besides the beauty of the fountains, every ono can imagine the relief from dust which might be obtained in that most dusty locality by their erection. These fountains having been supplied, the water might be carried along the beach in pipes for the use of tho households in that quarter. It would be very desirable that another fountain should be erected somewhere near the Bank of New Zealand, if sufficient room can be found for it. Should the water supply from the springs indicated prove insufficient, it is probable that a tunnel, driven for some distance into the Tinakori hill, might materially increase the supply. Passing onwards to Te Aro we find many streams running down from the surrounding gullies, and it would be easy so to collect the waters at their sources as to bring them under control for the supply of that district. The supplies now pointed out would probably be sufficient for the city for many years to come. When the demands of the population become greater then the Kaiwarra stream will come into requisition. We call the attention of the Town Board to this matter. At a small expense an ample supply of pure water may be procured. The outlay would probably be replaced to the community in the first year. Since the erection of: the Van Yean Avaterworks at Melbourne we understand that the rate of insurance has fallen immensely, and we suppose that similar results would here follow similar causes ; and with an ample supply of water the dust would no doubt bo reduced to a minnimum, and the great destruction of soft goods, caused by that insidious nuisance be moderated or prevented.