BOROUGH WATER SUPPLY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3279, 26 July 1911, Page 5

BOROUGH WATER SUPPLY.

DISCUSSION AT BOROUGH

COUNCIL.

HEADWORKS OR RESERYOIR ?

expert advice to be sought.

The question of the Borough water supply occupied the attention of the Borough Council for about four hours at its meeting last night. The subject was introduced by the Mayor, who moved:—

“That the Council call for tenders for the construction of the Kaiti Hill reservoir in accordance Avith the plans and specifications of Mr. Marchant, tenders not to be accepted until Mr. Marchant certifies that it will be filled by the pressure from the tank opposite the caretaker’s dAvelling, and that there is sufficient pressure for ordinary fire purposes to the satisfaction of the Council.”

Speaking to his motion, the Mayor said that if there was one work more than another urgently needed at the present time it Avas the construction of the Kaiti reservoir. It was necessary for fire prevention; to give a purer town supply; and it was imperative that the reservoir should be erected before the sewerage was turned into the mains. The attempt with a long line of pipes to flush their sewers without it was out of the question, and if they did not do it at once it would be necessary to retain the night service in case of a breakdown in the pipe-line. The site had been fixed by experts. The Borough Engineer had suggested that he could improve the pressure by reinstating the headworks and going further up with the reservoir. Experience had proved that the pipes'and connections could not stand a pressure of 1501bs, and the pipes had never really been tested. The consulting engineer had advised that they could not get a greater pressure than loOlbs. He (the Mayor) regretted that the Council had gone up to the headworks when he had been unable to accompany them. The question of a reservoir was a serious one for the borough, and should be kept entirely separate from the proposal regarding the headworks. Though he agreed that the headworks should .be reinstated, the present pressure would be sufficient to fill a reservoir on Kaiti Hill and if the Borough Engineer carried out the instructions given by the Consulting Engineer they would have had a pure water supply to-day. The intake was containlv stopped up by weeds. The box-filter ordered by Mr. Marchant had not been installed, and there was only a rotten dam of sacks and earth to* hold the water to convey it into the intake. He was with the Council to put the headworks in order as soon as possible, but he had no respect for what the Borough Engineer recommended, as to a reservoir at the headworks. The reservoir would be erected at a height of 250 ft., and when full should hold two million gallons, which should be ample for a couple of months’ supply. Cost at the Headworks.

Cr. Collins stated that the Mayor had not explained that it would cost £IO,OOO to put the headworks in order. The Mayor said that when it was ascertained what amount was required they could go to the ratepayers for the money required. Cl*. Collins: Will you go to the ratepayers ? I venture to say you will never do that until you are driven to do it.

The Mayor proceeded to maintain that had the loan works been carried out hv contract instead of day labor it would not have been necessary to raise a further loan. What he suggested was that tenders should be called for the erection of the reservor, providing that Mr. Marchant would certify that there was a sufficient supply obtainable from the lower intake to fill the tank. Cr. Brown stated that the lower intake was supplied by tributaries which flowed through sheepyards, and the supply was not pure. There was not a sufficient supply at the upper intake to supply an adequate pressure. Cr. Collins asked what financial arrangements the Mayor was contemplating to meet the cost of putting the headworks in order.

The Mayor said*, a report would be prepared of the amount required. Cr. Wade seconded the motion. Cr. Darton said that he took strong exception to the abuse that had been levelled by the Mayor at the Council. He had said that evening _ that the Council was run by the Engineer. The Mayor: My contention was the Engineer was running the Borough. If I made the statement that the Council was run by him, I withdraw it.

Cr. Darton’s Amendment. Continuing, Cr. Darton said he did not know one Councillor who was opposed to a reservoir on Kaiti Hill, and an amount was set down for its_ construction. It seemed such a simple little thing that tenders should be called but it was like building a house by starting with the roof. He appreciated the risk the Council was running in regard to the pipe line, but the pump had minimised it considerably. He would like to see the reservoir built tomorrow on certain conditions. . The Mayor wanted the reservoir built at a height of 240 ft, and the water would be required to be forced up to 270 ft, and the pressure guage that evening showed llolbs, so that the water would not go into it. He would not say that the tank was too high. It would give a working pressure of under lOOlbs., but 3 he wanted to see a better pressure than that. The Engineer had said he _ did not see any difficulty in getting a working pressure of 1251 bs with the headworks in order. Why should they sacrifice a pressure of 12olbs. for 100 lbs when the engineer' for £IO.OOO could give 12olbs? It would lie inflicting wrong oni the town. He wanted to see the headworks put in order and then the reservoir so placed to give them the very best pressure. The Mayer could call! in the very best expert advice and if he could convince them the Borough Engineer was wrong then they would, put up with the lOOlbs. pressure. He pointed out that there was not the urgency that the Mayor tried to make out. They had an excellent pump and the line from Gisborne to* the pump couldl easily be repaired—if. there was a break—within a few hours. Surely the Mayor did not want to nut a reservoir in a position that would not give them- the best pressure. He would move: —

That the question of calling tenders be delayed until they received a report from an independent engineer as to the best means of putting the head works into thorough repair with the probable cost of the same.”

“Reservoir Would Be Folly.” Ci*. Brown seconded the amendment, remarking that it -would be folly to proceed with the erection of the Kaiti Hill reservoir until it had been decided what \Aias' going to be done with the headworks. Cr. Smith said he understood the mains would stand 1351bs -pressure Aidth safety. If a pressure of 971bs would fill a tank at a height of 115 ft., then a pressure of 1401bs would fill a tank at a higher level. The Mayor said! this had been found to be impracticable, as the joints of the pipes -would not stand it. Continuing, Cr. Smith said he ivas in accord Avith the erection of the reseri'oir, but he Avould not vote until lie knew Avhich was the better scheme. The scheme of the Engineer to reinstate T;he headworks looked feasible, and he- favored getting expert opinion. If another engineer was called in, and he AA r as against the scheme proposed by the Engineer, and favored Mr Marcliant’s plan, then he thought the Council AA’ouldi agree to it. . Cr. Harris said the amendment had simply been gob up by the party who had been opposed to tlie loan, the leaders of Avlioim had been Crs. Collins and Darton.

Crs Collins and Barton warmly resented this statement.

Proceeding. Cr. Harris said Crs. Collins and Darton had been the leaders of a party avlio opposed all schemes brought forward by the progressive party and the Mayor. A warm passage at arms between Cr. Collins and Cr. Harris ensued at this stage.

Continuing, Or. Harris said the man who was responsible for the- present pipe line had so much fear of the pipe-line proving defective that he Avanted the fire brigade station placed near the main.

Cr. Sawyer favored the amendment, and said it Avas only commonsense to delay action until they had obtained' further reports from- experts. Cr. Pettie’s Protest.

Or. Pettie said he Ayished to enter his protest- against the unAA*orthy remarks AA'hich. had fallen from the Mayor’s lips regarding the Borough Engineer, which he characterised as disgraceful. He (Cr. Pettie) had had the honor of presiding over the Council in the Mayor’s absence in, England, and lie and .the other Councillors during that time had learned to admire and respect Mr Paterson aa'lio had tackled the deplorable state of muddle into AA'hich the Mayor had got the affairs of the borough. The remarks which the Mayor had madie that night regarding the Borough Engineer were little short of disgraceful. There Avas no immediate hurre to proceed with the construction of the reservoir, AA'hich all Avere -agreed they could not do without. . -Let them obtain the fullest advice in, order that they mignt have the best possible scheme/ By uoing so the Council could have the reservoir constructed simultaneously with the sewerage works, andl it AA-ould be finished in ample time. He would vote for the amendment.

„ Cr. Wade said that he had vieAved the Kaiti site, and kneAV of nothing Letter in the district. They kneAV that spiral pipes were unreliable, and the construction of the reservoir was imperative. The request the Council had received from the Fire Board showed that the Board had! little faith in the pipe-line. With the present system the pressure was very uneven, AA'hich' resulted in constant trouble through having to constantly work the taps.. He AA-ould not like to see a high pressure put on the pipe-line. The construction of the reservoir AA r as a matter of urgency, and on that account he supported the resolution.

”1 am Ashamed of You.” _Cr. Collins said that before he dealt with the reservoir he would like to deal with one or two matters, and that was the unjustifiable criticism that the Mayor had subjected the Engineer to. It amounted to unwarranted presumption on the part of the Mayor. He pointed out that it was the Mayor who engaged Mr. Paterson. He had gone to Wellington and seen Mr. Paterson’s superior officer and was highly pleased with his work. When the Mayor had gone to the hustings he told them what he would do, and what had he done? He had left the Borough in a more chaotic condition than when he came into office. If the Mayor pursued his present policy in three years time his name would be execrated as he had execrated Mr Paterson that evening. Mr Paterson had worked under very trying conditions, and, the Mayor had done nothing but criticise him. He had delayed the Engineer’s work and disorganised his staff, and it was the worst thing that could be done to interfere with a departmental officer. “I am ashamed of you,” added Cr. Collins. Continuing, he said he was sorry that other Councillors had not got up and spoken the same as Crs. Pettie, Darton and himself had spoken. He wanted to know why the Mayor deliberately criticised the Engineer as lie had done. The loan proposals the Mayor had put to the public were very crude, and he was not justified in putting such a minimum in the loan proposals as he did. The Engineer was told to carry them out, and he could not do it for the amount, and it was to cover up the Mayor’s bad administration that the Engineer was condemned. The Mayor himself would never be able to carry them out. When the Mayor was in England Cr. Pettie had been good enough to take his place, and when he returned he said that his proposals had gone to the four winds of heaven. With the help and - advice of the Engineer the;y had got the Borough out of the chaotic state in which the Mayor had left it. There was not one Councillor who was against the reservoir at Kaiti. He was not against it. Cr. Harris: You were against the loan. “Unkind Criticism.” Cr. Collins pointed out how he had been previously the subject of unkind criticism by Cr. Harris, whom he stated sat at the Council table and passed remarks. He was inclined to think that it was disability to argue on the part of Cr. Harris, but there was nothing more contemptible than anyone indulging in personalities. He did not think that Cr. Harris had any conscientious regard for his opponents. Regarding the reservoir he maintained that the Council would have to go to the ratepayers for another loan, and when the Mayor went to the rateEayers again, as he would have to do, e would tell them that during his absence in London Cr. Pettie had let his policy go to the four vvfnds of heaven. He would also throw up the matter of the Patutahi tramway at the Councillors. He was astonished to see that Cr. Wade, who seconded the Mayor’s motion, had not made use of one single .weighty argument in support of it. Regarding the reservoir, there had not been one word said as to the geological report they had obtained on the site. That report l stated that if they decided to build the reservoir on that site they would only be able to erect a tank sufficient for three day’s supply. They

could construct a larger tank, Avhich would give them six days’ supply. The conservation of water for three days was considered the proper thing, therefore they did not require the larger tank Avhich Avould prevent constant circulation of the supply. The Mayor Avas proposing to call tenders on the lower site, Avith a probable pressure of llOlbs.. Cr. BroAvn had told him that he had . seen both intakes. The supply Avhich fed the loAver intake came from contaminated tributaries, and he considered that the supply should be taken from the upper intake, so that by the Mayor’s proposal they AA T ere going to conserve contaminated Avater, Avhich did not properly circulate. The Mayor had not told them Avhen the headAA’orks were going to be put in order, or .when he is going to raise the loan for this purpose. Councillors Avere IiOAV asking him to delay the matter until they had obtained a report upon a scheme for a supply of pure water at a pressure of under 1501bs, and also on the construction of a reservoir on a suitable site. The present pipes Avould not stand the pressure because the collars AA’ere defective, but at the present time there Avas insufficient Avater to fill a reservoir such as Avas proposed. The Mayor had to do three things —put the seAverage AA'orks in order, the lieadAvorks in order, and then construct the reservoir. If he did that he Avould ha\ r e an administration Avhich even lie (Cr. Collins) could not criticise.

Cr. Webb said that though he Avas in favor of the construction of the Kaiti reservoir, he considered the restoration of the headAvorks Avas of paramount importance, and lie therefore Avould have to support the amendment. The Mayor’s Reply.

The Mayor, in replying, said that the construction of the reservoir Avas of the utmost urgency. Immediately the supplementary loan was taken, the seA\ rerage Avould be connected up. He would tell them iioav that nearly all their sewerage Avorks would be completed within six months, and the Avhole in nine months. They could not safely connect up until they bad the reservoir, otherAvise the pans might not flush. The pump Avas no use in the case of varying pressure. They Avanted the storage here to give a steady pressure. Insurance premiums AA-ould bc_ redm_eu as soon as the reservoir Avas installed., and) the saving thus effected AA’ould be more than the cost of the AA-ork. He had been absolutely surprised at tlie "remark of Cr. Collins that it was only necessary to store Ava-ter for three days. With regard to the remarks he had made regarding the Borough Engineer, any officer whom lie- considered did- not do his duty Avould! be criticised by him. Cr. Pettie interrupted Avith- the remark that Avhen he diffidently took the position of Acting-Mayor AA'hen tlie Mayor left for England, and doubted his ability to fulfil the office, the Mayor bad told him to trust Mr Paterson (the Engineer), and Mr Robinson (Toavu Clerk), and had informed him that if he did so he could not go far wrong, as two better men he could not find.

The- Mayor said he Avas like Cr. Wade, and AA’hen he found he had made a mistake he AA-as not ashamed to adhnit it. He had been misinformed as to Mr Paterson’s qualifications in Wellington, and regretted it. He had reason to mistrust the Borough Engineer before he left for England, when he saw he was not carrying out dirctions AA'hich had been given him. Cr. Smith said the data gone on by the consulting engineer showed that there was not sufficient pressure to raise the AA'ater to the level of the Kaiti reservoir.

At this stage Cr. Webb proposed that the debate be- adjourned for a fortnight. Cr. Collins seconded the proposition. Ch*. Darton insisted that his amendment be put that night. Cr. Darion’s amendment AA-as then put and carried by se\ r en votes to 3. the Mayor and _ Crs. Harris and Wade being in the minority. At this stage, 12.40 a.m.. Cr. Smith moved the adjournment of tlie meeting until this evening. Tlie motion was seconded by Or. Brown and carried.