The City Water Supply
STRONG REMARKS BY THE MAYOR. A COMMITTEE OF ENQUIRY APPOINTED.
A special meeting of the City Council was held last evening for the purpose of considering matters in connection with the city water supply. There were present — The Mayor and Councillors Quick, Williams, Edwards, Benzoni, Danks, Petherick, Smith, Young, Coombes, and M’Kenzie.
The Mayor suggested that the Council should first consider the desirability of ordering by cable the iron pipes which it had been decided to obtain from England for the purpose of making a better connection between the Wainui supply and the Polhill Gully supply. His Worship said that when the fire of last Sunday started, the pressure of water was 95 lbs to the square inch, but on the water being turned off from Te Aro the pressure increased to 120 lbs.
The man-of-war sent off a large body of men, who rendered valuable assistance at the fire, and he had forwarded a letter to the vessel, thanking the officers and men, on behalf of the citizens, for what they had done. He must also say that the Fire Brigade had worked very well under the circumstances. He thought it would be a good thing if the Council were to order the Polhill Gully pipes by cable, and he would move a resolution to that effect. The cost of cabling would not be very great, and the time saved would be valuable. The pipes might be brought out by steamer instead of by sailing vessel.
Councillor Petherick asked what would become of his resolution of last Thursday regarding calling for tenders for the supply of pipes. The Mayor said that the Council might call for tenders in Wellington, the successful tenderer to undertake to cable Home without delay. The present meeting was an informal one, and anything it might decide upon would have to be ratified by the next ordinary meeting. Replying to Councillor Petherick, the Mayor said he had called the Council together after ascertaining that it was the wish of the majority that a meeting should be held at once.
Councillor Edwards, in seconding the resolution, said it was very desirable that the proposed connection between the two supplies should be made as soon as possible. If pipes were cabled for, he thought it was possible to have them laid before winter actually set in. He thought it was very desirable that there should be a good supply from Karori when the Wainui supply was not available.
Councillor Coombe moved as an amendment that tenders for the supply of pipes be invited, tenders to be returnable by Friday next, and the successful tenderer to cable Home for the material. He did not see any necessity for hurry for a day or two. Councillor Petherick considered that Friday was too near. Tenders should be made returnable for a later date.
Councillor Brandon urged that pipes should be obtained as soon as possible. From recent reports laid before the Council, anyone could see that the Wainui supply might be cut off at any time, and he maintained that the Council would not be doing its duty to the citizens if it did not take immediate steps to make the Polhill Gully supply more efficient than at present.
Councillor M’Kenzie, in seconding the amendment, said there could be no doubt that it was very desirable to get a better pressure of water from Polhill Gully than at present. The advisableness of proceeding with the work had been discussed before, but so far nothing practical had been done.
The speaker complained very bitterly of some adverse criticism which he had heard in reference to the way in which the Council was managing the water supply, and concluded his remarks by pointing out that those who made such complaints could make an effort to enter the Council, and if successful would be able to show the ratepayers what they could do in the way of managing municipal affairs.
Councillor Williams agreed with Councillor M’Kenzie that the reflections upon the Council were unjust. He said that to speak of there being a dribble of only 30 lbs pressure on the occasion of the fire was quite incorrect.
Councillor Danks thought it would be a good thing if the Council was to order from Melbourne sufficient pipes to form the loop line at Polhill Gully. A ten-inch pipe would bring in 3,000,000 gallons all the year round. He believed that by cabling to Melbourne the pipes could be laid down in about six weeks’ time.
He regretted that the Wainui supply had broken down, but he would withhold his opinion until there had been an enquiry. In his opinion, the Wainui works would not have been in its present condition if Councillor Petherick had not objected to the paltry expenditure on refreshments for those councillors who went out to visit the works from time to time. Councillor Petherick was therefore partly responsible for the present disaster.
The Mayor mentioned that he had received a tender from a firm who were willing to supply pipes capable of standing a pressure of 175 lbs. The tender was, of course, informal, and he would not lay it before the Council.
Councillor Young said that when he and Councillor Coombe spoke about calling a meeting of the Council to consider whether the pipes should be cabled for, his idea was not to get them brought out by steamer, as they would get knocked about too much. If tenders were invited in Wellington, the whole responsibility would have to be borne by the successful tenderer.
Councillor Smith said that the Council had taken the very earliest opportunity of dealing with the Polhill Gully supply, and instead of being blamed, it should be praised. The Engineer was also deserving of praise for his suggestion in regard to increasing the pressure from that supply. He trusted the Council would resolve to cable Home for the pipes.
Councillor M’Kenzie suggested that telegrams should be sent to Melbourne and Sydney asking whether suitable pipes could be procured in those cities. The Mayor explained that he had been informed that cast pipes of the kind required could not be procured in Melbourne.
The resolution of the Mayor was withdrawn in favour of the proposition of Councillor Coombe that tenders should be invited for the supply of pipes, tenders to be returnable by Friday, and the order to be cabled Home without delay. This proposition was agreed to almost unanimously, Councillor Petherick being the only dissentient.
On the motion of Councillor Danks, seconded by Councillor Smith, it was decided to call for tenders for a supply of 12-inch pipes to form the loop-line at Polhill Gully, the pipes to be obtained from Sydney or Melbourne, in order that they might be laid down as soon as possible.
The Mayor said that in connection with this water supply business, he should like some kind of enquiry into the present condition of the works at Wainui. The Council had been blamed a good deal about the condition of the works, and he would be glad to see an enquiry held. He had seen certain things which he did not quite understand. He did not like to say much, but he should like to know something further about them.
He had for some time wondered where a lot of water went to. He was under the impression for a long time that there was a big leak somewhere in town, but when he went out to Wainui he found out where the water went to.
Councillor Coombe, alluding to an article in the *New Zealand Times* on the water question, said he did not think it was fair that the statements contained in the article should have been made public. The statements were the result of a visit made to Wainui on Sunday by the Mayor and the editor of the paper.
The Engineer did not go out to Wainui on Saturday so much with the intention of inspecting the race as to make an examination of the work. He (the speaker) trusted that the Mayor would be able to explain away the statements in the newspaper article. If the Council had anything to say to Mr. Loughrey, let it be said. Mr. Loughrey should be treated in a gentlemanly manner.
If the Council had anything to say to the Engineer, it should be said to his face. His (Councillor Coombe’s) opinion was that Mr. Loughrey had been accused a good deal for something that had been done before he was engineer. If Mr. Loughrey deserved a vote of censure, he (the speaker) would not object to his being censured, but the Council should be very careful indeed that it did not do the Engineer a wrong.
Referring to a statement in the *Times* that Captain Page, of the Fire Brigade, was away in the South when he should have been in Wellington, Councillor Coombe thought it was only right that that officer should be allowed to attend Fire Brigade conferences and demonstrations.
Alluding to the concrete race at Wainui, Councillor Coombe said he had never seen a worse job in his life. When he was out there the other day he saw in some of the concrete work stones six inches thick, and he was certain that it was impossible to make good concrete when material like that was used. He did not know who was to blame. The speaker explained that he had made reference to the article so that the Mayor might have an opportunity of clearing himself.
The Mayor said he would much rather not refer to the matter. Councillor Coombe thought His Worship should make an explanation. The Mayor said it was simple nonsense for anyone to say that Mr. Loughrey did not go out to Wainui to repair the race. He told that gentleman to go out and effect repairs, and Mr. Loughrey took out a couple of men and half a cask of cement.
The supply of water was cut off for the purpose of enabling repairs to be done. Since Mr. Loughrey had gone out, he (Mr. Loughrey) had found out that there were more leaks than at first supposed. He (the Mayor) thought that more men should be put on, but the Engineer was of a different opinion.
There were some strange things about the Wainui works, and if they continued, all he could say was that either he or the Engineer would have to go. He should like an independent enquiry held, as he felt very much dissatisfied at the present condition of the supply. There were some things he did not like to see, and he was anxious that an enquiry should be held so as to ascertain who was to blame. If he found he was wrong in his conclusions, he would at once admit it.
Councillor Young said he was glad to hear His Worship say that. On Thursday last the Mayor stated that he had never seen better concrete than what was in the race. His Worship had either never seen good concrete or else he did not know when concrete was bad and when it was good. His Worship stated last Thursday that it would cost about £20 for repairs. If that was all the repairs were to cost, what use was there in taking out a number of men and a lot of cement?
He (Councillor Young) told the Council that the expenditure would amount to more like £200, and it would be found that the repairs would cost all that. He had heard a good deal lately about practical men’s opinions, but unless the opinions were backed up by common sense, they were of little good.
The Mayor had often spoken of himself as a practical man, but so far as he (Councillor Young) could see, His Worship did not have anything to show for all his practical experience. The Mayor had a personal feeling against Mr. Loughrey, although His Worship maintained that he had not. Long before he (the speaker) was a Councillor, he had heard the Mayor run down Mr. Loughrey on several occasions, and each time he did so, he (Councillor Young) took a note of the fact, and was now prepared to produce the statements in black and white.
The Mayor asked Councillor Young to produce the statements and he would substantiate them. He did not live at Wainui when the waterworks were being made, but he visited the place several times, and all the concrete he saw was of the best quality. The mistake made was in putting the concrete in layers, the result being that the water had got between them.
He had no hostility against Mr. Loughrey, but it was a fact that Mr. Loughrey was hostile to him. He did not know for a long time the cause of the Engineer’s hostility, but after the remarks which had fallen from Councillor Young, he fully understood how it was that Mr. Loughrey was so hostile. Councillor Young said that Mr. Loughrey never knew until a few minutes ago that the Mayor had ever spoken to him (the speaker) on the subject.
Councillor Williams was sorry that there had been some mutual recrimination. He thought that if the Mayor was of the opinion that the Engineer was not taking proper steps to carry out the work, he should have directed that more men should be put on. If the Mayor did not possess such a power, the sooner the Council gave him it, the better.
The Mayor said that before going out to Wainui, he discussed the position of affairs with the Engineer, and when he saw that Mr. Loughrey only had four men employed, he thought that an error of judgement had been committed.
Councillor Quick said he recollected the time when the whole town was exercised as to whether a Climie scheme or a Clark scheme should be adopted. The question was now likely to be Loughrey or anti-Loughrey. He had no ill-feeling against Mr. Loughrey, but if that gentleman was to be the cause of dissension, the sooner his services were dispensed with, the better.
He thought it was desirable an outside opinion should be obtained as to whether anyone was to blame for the present condition of the works.
Councillor Smith said that the Engineer had done a great deal towards stopping the waste of water through the sludge channel. He was sorry that a discussion had taken place on this subject before an enquiry had been held. The Engineer had no doubt erred in not taking out enough men, but he was certainly not so much to blame as many people thought. Those who constructed the race and those who took it over were responsible for its present condition.
Councillor Danks expressed himself in favour of an independent report being obtained. Councillor Petherick pointed out that the Engineer was not responsible for the present condition of affairs. He asked whether the portion of the works repaired by Mr. Saunders was bad.
**Mr. Loughrey:** Not that I know of.
Councillor Petherick was sorry that the Mayor and the Engineer were at variance. He had never seen worse works in his life.
Councillor Brandon moved —
“That the Mayor and the senior member of each ward hold an inquiry as to the present state of the city water supply, with a view of ascertaining, and reporting to the Council, the cause.”
This was seconded by Councillor M’Kenzie.
The Mayor proposed as an amendment —
“That an independent report be obtained:
(1) As to whether the race has been fairly constructed according to specification.
(2) If not, who is to blame?
(3) Would it be safe to try and stop the end of the sludge channel?
(4) Would it be advisable to fit the sludge gate with brass grooves?”
The amendment was seconded by Councillor Coombe and negatived. On the suggestion of Councillor Quick, the words “and the remedy” were added to the motion. The motion was carried, and the meeting terminated.
