WATER SUPPLY CATECHISM.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 961, 6 August 1903, Page 3

WATER SUPPLY CATECHISM.

At a meeting of the Borough Council it was resolved to invite questions from opponents of Waihirere to be submitted to Mr Meslayer and Dr Mason, and in accordance therewith Crs Lysnar and Whinray suggested tho list published yesterday morning. In the meantime the Council had evidently thought better Gf the matter, for the questions were at once challenged, the Mayor leading off by saying that the test of the ground proposed would cost about £4OO. ’■ It would Lo the biggest job ever undertaken by this Council,” added Cr Somervell.

Cr Lysnar said Mr Mestayer was simply to be asked what the cost of puddlmg would be. “ Have not all these questions been answered alroady ? ” asked Cr Morrison, handling a copy of Mr Mestayer’s report. "Never mind,” said Cr Kennedy who had seconded Cr Lyanar's motion to have the questions forwarded ; “ let the list go and ho can answer them again.” “ I oppose this most strongly,” said Cr Miller; "most of tho questions are absurd.” Sooner thau ask Mr Mestayer, he added, ho would prefer to ask that Government send a geologist. Cr Hepburn estimated that it would cost about £IOO,OOO to tost the ground as suggested. "It will certainly cost more than the scheme,” added the Mayor. Cr Kennedy said he did not want to have it stated that any questions were burked.

“ They are burking it,” declared Cr Whinray. Cr Morrison said they had the printed answer to every question asked. “ Show mo anything signed or writton by Mr Mestayer thut is an answer. If there is I will strike tho question out,” said Cr Lysnar. Cr Morrison : If ho answers this there will bn another lot next day. No man in the world can tell tbe bottom there.

“ Some of these questions we might answer ourselves,” said Cr Somervell. Cr Lysnar: I quite agree with you thoro. (Laughter.) “ But some of them are far-fetched,” continued Cr Somervell. “ They would causo Mr Mestayer to smile. He would have to shift a lot of stuff to find out,” “ The whole hill,” interposed Cr Harding. Cr Somorvoll said there would bo another srnilo on top of that when they aßked about percolation “ Ho would smilo through tho top of his head,” jocularly added tho Mayor. “ I have soon the bill,” said Cr Somervell, who at a previous meeting had mentioned that ho had never been to Waihiroro, and after getting thero I must commend Mr Mestayor for his judgment. I havo had a littlo to do with tho constructing of dams and that is the prettiest placo for making a dam that I ever saw.

If choosing a site for a dam I would not wish for a better. It is as pretty a valley as you could get for the purpose. There is another big valley near by that would hold any amount of water. The amount of water running in the creek did not seem to me sufficient, but engineers who take these things into consideration calculate on the catchment area for rainwater and they can calculate it to a nicety. » 'When it comes down,” interposed Or Whinray. , “ Yes,” replied Cr Somervell, and taking one year with another they can get a close estimate. Whether that is sufficient I cannot say, but I have no difficulty in recommending that for a dam.” Cr Whinray : Will it hold ? Cr Somervell: As for percolation, I do not see that there will be any more than elsewhere. Cr Whinray : Did you notice the formation on each side ? —is it holding country ? Cr Somervell said yes—there were big cracks to be seen in the limestone— Cr Lysnar : That’s it ' Cr Somervell: But when you getabove that I consider the country is qViite solid enough. I have no hesitation in saying—whether the water will he there—that it would hold water. I have examined places said to have slipped ; it is simply surface soil slipping off the rock, which goes down—there it no move in the reck, which appears to be quite solid.

Cr Lysnar : Did you see any, underground watercourses ? Cr Somervell : I saw one little watercourse ; it went underneath a little way, and then came out on top again. I made a thorough examination to satisfy myself. Cr Whinray, : Did you have a pick and shovel ? Cr Somervell : No, hut some one else had, and I examined where they hid! been, and am quite satisfied. The Mayor: Then you arc quite satisfied about it ? Or Somervell: Yes. Cr Lysnar : Are you satisfied that it will hold water ? Cr Somervell : I would have no •hesitation in putting, water into it—supposing the water were there, I would have no hesitation in regard to the building of the dam. Cr Lysnar : That is just the point —if we thought the water would be there we would be in favor of it. Cr Harding opposed the sending of the questions to Mr Mestayer, as to do so would be to hold the Council up to ridicule. He would have no objection to their going if they were earmarked as being from Crs Lysnar and Whinray. What would 'any professional man say of persons supposed to be sane sending a list of such questions. He was not there to be held up to ridicule. The Mayor said that some of tire (questions were very ridiculous, and looked like poking fun at Mr Mestayer after the reports they bad had from him. He had stated, “ There is no other place from which so gjood and pure a water-supply can be got for anything like the same price.” Cr Lysnar : Let him sign that. The Mayor : lie will sign it anytime.

Cr Miller: Those are the questions put to him when Messrs R. N. Jones and A. Forde Matthews went to him ? Cr Lysnar said he admitted that some of the questions need not be included in the list, but they were put there just to meet the Mayor and others who required such information. They were playing with Mr Mestayer’s figures. He Had produced a certificate from the Magistrate and an accountant showing what the figures were. But the Mayor had put another ruse before the public to mislead Cr Miller: I rise to a point of order. No man has any right to say this. I have been connected With no ruse.

Cr Lysnar said that he had put a simple question ; they had tried to challenge it ; he did not ask them to take his word, or that of their worthy Magistrate or anyone else,— he asked them to put the questions straight to Mr Mes layer* The Ma’yo r : You had uo' light at all to mention the Magistrate, or bring him into it. Or Harding : They are only in comparison with other statements—- ■ you have been playing to the gallery for a long time. Cr Lysnar : I have been, ueeause I can get no hearing in this theatre, and my only hope is to play to the gallery of the ratepayers outside. Cr Harding : If I was in the chair you would not get much hearing. Cr Whinray : You are condemning the (questions without even hearing them. Cr Harding r Oh, we have all reau them. i Cr Whinray : It is only in keeping With the usual obstruction to block investigation. Cr Lysnar : Trying to make the figures suit eight-inch mains. Cr Somervell : You can put a 12inch main to any dam. After further remarks on this point, Cr Lysnar said that he was satisfied with Mr Mestayer’s report on these things, but Councillors had tried to take a wrong construction out of it. He wanted the question put beyond the matter of a comma. Cr Harding : Try a full-stop. Cr Miller : Wait until you hear Dr Fisher’s letter —he is dead keen on

Waihirere now. Cr Harding said that if Crs Whinray and Lysnar had the good of the place in view, as they stated, they would have the examination they Wanted done at their own expense. Cr Whinray said their object was to save the ratepayers expense. Cr Harding : You people are here as obstructionists. - Cr Lysnar : I rise to a point of order—Cr Harding has no right to say that. The Mayor : I think some of these questions are for the purpose of obstructing the work. Cr Harding said that if necessary he would repeat what he had said. The motion to send the questions being put and rejected, the list of questions to he submitted to Dr. Mason were brought up. Cr Johnston said that’after having! decided to put the proposal before the ratepayers it was only waste of time to go into these questions. After a lively, debate the questions were rejected. Cr Lysnar said thathe had thought the offer to send the questions to be too good to be true, and 'now he could see that it was . only a blind. However, his conscience was clear in the matter, and it could not be said that, being challenged, they had not brought forward questions.