AUTHORITY TO BORROW.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 960, 5 August 1903, Page 2

AUTHORITY TO BORROW.

At the Borough Council meeting last night,—a special meeting— The Mayor moved in accordance with notice, the meeting of ratepayers to be held on September 9th. Or Harding seconded the motion. Ho hoped that they would settle all technical objections and go to the ratepayers without delay. Cr Lysnar said the advertisement should be read through. They should have the main specified; he thought they were unanimous it should be 12 inch; also the rate of interest should bo specified. The Engineer’s figures should be acted on and the Council should not take on itself the cutting of them down. They should also provide, in case of a change from annual to capital values, that the rateable basis for the loan should bo changed accordingly. As to the figures they were practically cutting the Engineer's figures down by nearly £20,000, which was too tnujh to cut down. It there were good reasons for the Council cutting the figures down it should be made plain ; but if the Engineer’s estimates were so far out he for one would not like to rely on them.

The Mayor said tbat the solicitor bad, advised them that they need not specify the mains, nor the rate of interest. He believed in a 12-inch main. Cr Lysnar : Then why sot have it earmarked ? The Mayor said he knew why Cr Lysnar wanted it set down, so as to get the amount up to £90,000; but they could get the mains without any increase, at the prico that Wanganui had got the pipes. Cr Lysnar : Why not have it so that no Council could alter it? Cr Miller : We might want a 14-inch main. Cr Harding said he understood they had met there simply to pass or reject the advertisement. Cr Lysnar: Who framed it ? Cr Harding : Our solicitor. Cr Lysnar said the thing should bo done by the Council; if they were to leave it to a solicitor Councillors would be better away in bed. Cr Miller thought they should confine the discussion to debatable order. Cr Morrison said they had the mattter before • them before and could not agree. Cr Whinray said no doubt the solicitor framed the advertisement, but it was for the Council to accept it, and mako suggestions if they desired. The Mayor said the advertisement had been drawn up in terms of the opinion given by Mr Bell, and he thought they should keep to it. Cr Harding : I go by the Engineer. Cr Lysnar: I hope you will.

Cr Harding : Yes, at the proper time. Cr Lysnar : This is the proper time. He moved as an amendment, and Cr Whinray seconded, that a 12-inch main be specified. Cr Kennedy opposed the amendment. It seemed to him that Cr Lysnar was mistrusting the Council. All Councillors were in favor of a 12-inch main, and would insist on it, but Mr Bell had advised that it was not necessary to go so closely into details, and he thought they should take his advice. Cr Somervell gave illustrations to show that less than a 12-inch main would bo useless. Ho thought they should accept the advice of the solicitor, and not be chopping over every point, and he would vote for the advertisement remaining as it was. Let it go to the ratepayers, to say whether they would accept it or not. (Hear, hear.) The amendment was rejected, all voting against it excepting Crs Lysnar and Whinray. Cr Lysnar then moved a further amendment that the amount set down be £94,725, which he claimed were the Engineer’s estimates for water and drainage. They should respect the Engineer's estimates ; the Lord help them if they could not take the Engineer’s figures. They should bo honest and be guided by them if they were going to accept them. Cr Whinray seconded the amendment, saying it was logical and needed no argument. Tho amendment was lost, the voting being the same as before. Mr Lysnar then moved so that tho substitution of capital for annual value could be provided for if the rating basis was altered. The Mayor said it was provided for in the Act. “ Not in case of a special loan,” Cr Lysnar retorted. Cr Miller said there could be no harm in haviog if clear. The Mayor read the sections of the Act, which Or Lysnar agreed gave the power, and did not press the amendment. Cr Lysnar moved that a limit of 4j- per cent, interest be stipulated. The Mayor : I have no objection. Or Somervell: I second that. Cr Morrison said that now they were going from the solicitor’s opinion. Cr Kennedy said he would strenuously oppose the amendment. It was provided that not more than 4£ bo paid, and what they were seeking was to get it at 4£ per cent. Ho said that it had actually been arranged that they would get £75,000 for 30 years at 4J- per cent, without the expenses of flotation. The Council would have the right to take tho money as they required it on the completion of sectional works, there would be no need to pay interest on the money until they drew it. They would have five years to take up the monoy in, so that there would not be much to pay until they got tho bulk of the money. Cr Lysnar: Why not stipulate tho amount ? Cr Kennedy : That is a question of detail.

Cr Lysnar: Some want to go up to 5 per cent, Cr Kennedy : You must not doubt the bonafides of the Council. Cr Lysnar : 1 do. Cr Kennedy : The Council won’t stand you doubting them. The Mayor referred to the Manchester water scheme, and said if they had such a Council there they would never have got it. Thoy could get the money at 4A- per cent., and now were endeavoring to get it at 4;) per cent. Cr Lysnar said some Councillors were prepared to go to any length. Cr Somervell said he had seconded the motion before he had heard Cr Kennedy’s explanation, The Mayor said he had thought originally they would get they money at hiper cent, Cr Lysnar : So you would with a modified scheme. The Mayor ; And you want to make it

£95,000 1 Cr Johnston said thoy would gain the confidence of the ratepayers by putting the limit in the advertisement. The Mayor : It will bo explained to the ratepayers. Cr Whinray; The emissaries will do that. Cr Lysnar : Don’t sent out any parsons to mislead the people. The amendment was lost by 6 to 4. The motion was then carried, Crs Lysnar and Whinray opposing it. QUESTIONS.

The Council at a previous meeting decided, that any Councillors having questions to put to Mr Mestayer in regard to the Waihirere water supply, should be at liberty to formulate the same. Crs. Whinray and Lysnar submitted the following : Questions for Mr Mestayer re Waihirere water supply: — It is Contended that the formation in this district is generally of a loose, broken nature, and being so, water cannot, with any reasonable degree of certainty, be held behind a dam without some artificial bottom being provided for it. It is also contended that there are now to be seen at and about the site of the proposed dam, numerous underground watercourses, and that the formation is limestone, sandstone, papa, and chalk, through- which water rapidly percolates.

With' these contentions in view, we desire to have the following questions answered, viz.— ' 'You state in your report that “ the rock underlying the surface appears to belong to the iimestones, and so far as could be ascertained without actually opening' up the ground it is free from faults.’-’ 1. Are you satisfied that the site of the proposed reservoir is composed of solid limestone ? 2, What would be the probable cost of

opening up and thoroughly examining the ground ? 3. In the event of the ground being faulty, would puddling the site of the reservoir he sufficient to make the reservoir hold water'? 4. If the ground on being opened up proves not to bo solid stone, and you consider puddling unnecessary, have you, in your present estimate, made allowance for percolation of tho water while it is in the reservoir ? If not, what would you estimate it at ? 5. Is not limestone soluble in water, and is it not an indication that where limestone is found cracks, fissures, and caves also exist ?

6. What would be the cost of puddling tho reservoir '? 7. Bo you think that it will he necessary to aerate uud filter the Waihirero water ? 8. What will be t-lie probable cost of filtering and aerating the Waihirero water? 9. Assuming that it was intended to supply the suburbs as well as Gisborne with water from Waihirero, and afio to supply the Gisborne Freezing Works, the latter works requiring at present about 100,000 gallons per day, which of your four alternative Waihirere schemes would you recommend tho Council to adopt, so as to avoid any' further extensions within, say, tho next three years, and allowing for a substantial increase in the population, in the meantime ? In quoting the scheme, please quote its cost, including reticulation, without cost of laud.

10. What is the lowest size dam you would recommend the Council to adopt with a 12-inch main ? 11. Do you recommend the reduced roticulation as per your supplementary report, and if it were adopted would it be effectual for fire purposes ? 12. By adopting the 12-inch main, what pressure do you ostimate would be available for fire purposes from 3,4, 5, and 6 iDch mains respectively, and if it were necessary to atirate and filter the water what difference would it make to tho fire pressure'? A long discussion, mainly breezy dialogue, followed on a motion by Cr Lysnar

seconded by Cr Kennedy, that tho questions be forwarded to Mr Mostayer. The Mayor, and Crs Somervell, Harding, Miller and Hepburn spoke in opposition to the motion, the two former speakers on the ground of expenso in making the tests, and the latter three on the ground that it would bo holding tho Council up to ridicule. Cr Somervell, in the course of the discussion, said he had visited Waihirere, and he described it as a splendid site for a dam. Crs Lysnar and Whinray twitted Councillors with burking investigation. Cr Kennedy considered that the questions should go as emanating from Crs Lysnar and Whinray. Eventually the proposal was rejected, and a like fate befel tho questions for the Health Officer. A fuller report is crowded out. The health questions wero as follows: — Questions for Dr. Mason, as Chief of tile Health Department : Drainage.—From a sanitary point of view, which system of drainage would you advise being adopted for the town of Gisborne—the Shone system (similar to that in use in Wellington) or the septic tank system ? Water.—(A) In the suggested water scheme to supply Gisborne with water from Waihirere, it is intended to place a dam near the head of a gully, and so store the water behind a dam varying in height from 30 to 60 feet,, 'according to the requirements. There will be no covering over the stored water to protect it from the sun, and there is no 'artificial bottom under the ;vatc];, the water being confined in a space of about eight acres. A recent analysis of the water coming from this locality is enclosed. \ Tile questions aro 1. Would this water, when stored up from. one season to another in this manner, he fit for general household purposes without any process of filtration or aerating ? 2. The Engineer says that it would not be permissible to drain the reservoir dry, and that nine million gallons may be allowed for this bottom water. Would this bottom water, being always left, have any injurious effect on the main supply to be drawn from it from time to time, especially when the reservoir gets low ? 3. Within the area to he submerged by the water there is at present a raupo swamp, containing a large number of eels. Would this swamp ■ or the eels have any injurious effect on the water when scored ? (B) Within two and a-lialf miles of Gisborne, there is the Waimata river, which has 'a run of over 30 miles, and has a catchment area of about 70,000 acres, which is practi- . cally all in grass and used tor stock grazing purposes, with homesteads dotted about, hut no large concentrated settlement. The bed of the river is open, with long stretches of steny and papa bottom, other parts being of a sandy and earthy formation. Immediately between the locality where the water could he drawn from the river and the town, there is a hill varying in height from 200 to 300 feet, upon which it is suggested to place reservoirs to hold, say, a week or fourteen days’ supply for the town, and to pump the water from wells or cisterns sunk near the hank of tho river into these reservoirs, and then treat the water through a proper process of filtration b!y sand, or some other more suitable filter, before using it. The idea of having, say, fourteen days’ supply pumped on to the hui is to avoid the necessity of having to pump the water when heavily charged with silt in times of flood, and so give the water time to settle.

Tlie questions we would like to ask you are :

1. If the Waimata river water is properly treated by filtration, would it be a suitable water for household purposes ?

2. Which would he best water for general household purposes—the Waimata river water (filtered in the manner suggested) or the Waihirere water (stored in the manner stated from one season to another, without any filtration or aeration) ?