CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS. XXXI, 
‘‘ Were the source of supply totally different from the present 
one, and the supply itself unlimited, or sufficiently ample to allow 
of extension or duplication, it might be well worth while to spend 
the much larger sum in carrying out such a scheme. These two 
vital points are however wanting, and considering the great 
additional cost required, which in our estimates it has been our 
endeavour to minimise as much as possible, we are of opinion that 
further investigation would only establish a greater difference than 
the one we have shown, without any corresponding advantages.” 
The agitation in connection with this scheme gradually 
died out, and nothing more was heard of it, the public 
becoming reconciled to that which brought a large body of 
water close to the city, at a moderate elevation by gravi- 
tation combined with a system of pumping to the highest 
required levels. This, being the cheaper, it was contended 
by Mr. Moriarty that no sensible man would throw away 
the money of the ratepayers, in order to attain some 
imaginary but certainly not real advantage from a uniform 
system of gravitation alone. | 
Board of Water Supply and Sewerage constituted, and 
retirement of Mr, Moriarty.—On 22nd March, 1888, the 
Board of Water Supply and Sewerage constituted by Acts 
of Parliament assented to on 10th June, 1880 and Ist 
March, 1888, came into existence, and took over the con- 
trol of the works already completed; those remaining 
incomplete being still carried on by the constructing 
authority, the Minister for Public Works. On 1st January, 
1889, Mr. Moriarty, after seeing his scheme practically 
finished and in operation, retired from the Public Service. 
His health for a considerable time previous to his retire- 
ment had been failing, having been undermined by the 
continual strain put upon it by his arduous duties in the 
conduct of a big department, which together with the heavy 
load entailed during the construction of the water works, 
