ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1781, 4 December 1883, Page 4

ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

The burning question at present is, what ' 'shall We do about our water supply ? At its last meeting the city council considered the advisability of purchasing 110 acres of land, which is to be offered for sale by auction in small allotments, as it was believpd - ,that the contamination of the water supply of the city would result from the land in Suestion being ao sold and utilised as iesience sites. Some of the councillors were in favour of buying the laud at a cost of £13,000, while other* thought that if this peico of land were bought, the result would be that other people Would threaten to cut up other peices of land on the same watershed for the purpose of compelling the city council to buy their land also at an exorbitant price. Other councillors expressed their opinion that it would be impossible to maintain the purity of the present water supply for many years, and that eventually we must bring water for the city either from the Waitakerei ranges or from the Waikato river, and that, therefore, the proposed expenditure of £13,000 would only add to the burdens of the city, without effecting a permanent benefit. Not being qualified to form an opinion on the subject, my judgment may not be worth much, but it seems to me that, if the council are to ensuie the absolute purity of the water supply, they must buy the whole of the watershed whence the water is derived, .and which extends from the Three Kings to the present pumping station. This would involve an immense expenditure, and if my opinion it. correct, it would be infinitely cheaper to obtain our water from Waitakeiei. That would involve a large outlay, but there would then be no expunge for pumping, as the source of the supply would be of sufficient altitude to give a magnificent gravitation force. * * The discussion about Hie water .supply lias again brought before the public that wondeiful decision of Mr Justice Gillies with regaid to the tallow company's woiks clo.se to the Western Spiingd. The city council was of opinion th.it the emotion ot the works would tend to contaminate the water, and so instructed its .solicitor to apply for an injunction of the Kupieme Court to restrain the company fiom electing their works in close proximity to the city's pumping works. The judge decided not to grant the injunction until it was proved the company was creating a nuisance, and so the woiks weio oinpleted, and operations were begun. A fresh application was made to His Honoui, who determined to go out to the place and ascertain by personal inspection whethoi the company was cicatmg a nuisance. Whether by intuition or "fiom information leceived" the deponent sayeth not, but the Company knew when to expect a visit from Mr Justice (Sillier, and when he reached the works he found everything as sweet and clean as Captain Huuciman'n daily. He w/i> quito -,>t'}*hei} tuid . so refused to grunt thu injunction despite the evidence of expects to the effect that tlie result of the operations, of the company was to pollute the city water .supply. The consequence is that thewoiks aic still in active operation, as anyone can know who passes along the Great Noith Road when the wind is blowing from the Noith. Then the smell is so stiong that you " can cut it with a knife." * * *■ A few day.i ago a fiiend of mine who has an account m the Post Office Havings Bank received proof positi\e that there weie some things he did not know. He was inakuiff a lodgment, .so said to the chief clerk, "I will receive an official notification to the effect that this amount has been received and placed to my ciedit, but if Someone should manage to withdiaw some of my money, I would lcceheno intimation of the fact. It seems to me that I should receive notice of the withdiawal rather than of the deposit, as I aheady know about that." A.s a rule the civil Servants in Auckland really deseive the adjective applied to them, and the gentleman in question puncd no exception to the rule, its he explained why the notice of the depisit and not of the withdiawal was sent. It seems that it is for the piotectiou of the depaitment, not of the depositor who already has a receipt in his pass-book. He gave an instance of the advantage of the notice. A man goes to the Post Office Saving Bank and opens an account by depositing £100. The cleik who leceives it happens to want that,. sum, so he enteis £1 in the depaitmeiital book and puts £5)5) in his pocket. If no notice were sent the depositor the defalcation would not be discovered until he wished to make a withdrawal or piesented his pass-book at the expiration of a yeai to have the interest, added, and by that time the clei k who had embezzled the money might have gone to San Francisco to spread it. Theie is no need to send notice of a withdiawal on the other hand, because no withdiawal can take place without the depositor's receipt. I think it is well to mention this matter, us I hope that all the leaders of The Waikato Times have substantial account* in the Post Office Saving Bank and aie, therefoie, inteiested in it. At a meeting held on Wednesday it was decided to form a committee to iaise subscriptions for the pni pose of presenting a testuuonal to our lefciniif,' mayoi, Mi J. M. Clark. As a mle Ido not appun c of testimonials, as they are generally a, faice and a nuisance, but if theie is a case in which a testimonial should be given, it should be in recognition of such services as Mr Clark has rendered this city. For three successive year* he has been mayor, and has performed the duties of the office in such a manner as to secure him the admiration of all classes of the community. It is. in a large measure duo to him that the enlargement of the city by the joining to it of the Ponsonby, Karangahape and Urafton di.stiicts, has taken place, and that those distiicts have been treated in such a generous spirit that they have no leason to i egret the change. He lias imbued the council with his ow n feeling of dislike of the " penny wise and pound foolish" style of doing business and impressed on them the necessity of looking at matters bi ought before them in a broad and liberal manner, ignoring their own individual inteiests for the geueial weal. In addition to these matters, he has extended a generous hospitality to visitois of distinction wlio have come heie, and he has devoted his mayoral allowance to adding to the valuable I'iee Public Library. The only objection in having such a mau as Mr Clark for mayor is that it makes the office " two hot" for a poor man to hold after him. However, as he has performed all the duties appertaining to his office in a manner so satisfactory to the public, it is the very least that they can do to show their recognition of his services by a handsome testimonial. Speaking of municipal matters reminds me that there is every possibility of a keen contest for a vacant sent in the city council caused by the lcsignntion of one of the representatives of (irafton Ward. Three candidates are aheady out, audit is stated that there will be " war to the knife, and the knife to the hilt." It seems lather absurd that there should be a "keen contest for a seat in the council so soon after the mayoral election resulted in a " walk-over." Of cour.se, there were reasons for this in the fact that Mr Waddell was the senior councillor, which many people considered gave him a right to the mayoralty, and, as it was known that he would receive a very large amount of suppoit from the workingclasses, it would have been very difficult for anyone to have contested the election successfully. The reason why I cannot tell, ' but the fact remains that, whereas the property-holders can elect the city councillors, the small holders can elect the mayor. In the election for a councillor he has one, two, three, four or five votes, according to the value of his property, while in the election of mayor, each ratepayer has only one vote. *** On Wednesday the fourth annual Industrial Exhibition in connection with the Sunday-school Union was opened in the drill-shed by Mr J. C. Firth, who, as is usual with that gentleman, made an excellent speech, but rather too long. There were nearly 1300 exhibits, so there can be v. x no doubt that the exhibition is valuable ' as a means of stimulating the industry of the children. There is one direction in which I would like to see an alteration, and that is in the way of more useful and less fancy work. If I had a little girl, I would fay rather see her making a chemise for her;;aelf, or a shirt for her brother, than an ■ arraseneoushion (whatevei* that may be) or „ i a, crewel bracket, and I think the Sunday- , ■ school Union iwquld confer a benefit on the ' I^Jonyjif 'they vould\,adop|; what means '" they may deem fit* , to encourage useful 1 ' ' rather than ornamental 'work. It too pf ten happens that girjs who are proficient at fancy work, 'cinnofc mjik'e'their own dresses Miatfd! r underclothing, andlr they are to'be good and useful wives for- ♦' our boys,'' it ia 'T'^ei^Bcaßsll^thlit'WeFiiTJb'ulcr He "able to d jn*K«jfttheir own' arid their childireiri ifi<-.«lotbin& eten if they cannot make arrjusene 'atfd bw#el feraoketß.', " •'!• - ■ • ,