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should be demolished and this work was begun in May and completed in August. The clock, being of no further service, was sold at public auction, realizing $662.50.
63. Stores Depreciation.—Adjustments of Store Values have been made under this head from time to time as discrepancies have been discovered in the books. Obsolete and unserviceable stores have, under authority, been sold or otherwise disposed of. Receipts from such sales have been credited to the Revenue Vote, "Miscellaneous Receipts,—Condemned Stores, &c.". The total book value of the Stores so disposed of has been credited to "Unallocated Store Account (Suspense)", the amount being $4,002.94 for the year.
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64. Maintenance of City and Hill District Waterworks.—As mentioned in last year's Report, owing to the deficient rainfall during the wet season of 1912, it was found necessary to have recourse to street fountains for supplying the Rider Main Districts with water, the use of the rider mains being entirely suspended. The supply by fountains remained in force until the 1st July, when constant supply by means of the house services was restored to most of the properties in the Rider Main Districts, the re-connection of such services being fully completed by the 5th July. Constant supply was maintained until the 3rd November, when the rider main system was brought into operation with a view to conserving the supply to such an extent as to ensure its lasting throughout the dry season, 1913-14. As regards the restrictive measures in force during the early part of the year, the street-watering posts deriving a supply of water from the mains, which had been disconnected in November, 1912, were re-connected on the 30th March and the supplies to wharves, which had also been discontinued in November, were restored on the 23rd April.
The adoption of the system of supply by street fountains for conserving the water supply during the dry season 1912-13 proved very effective and probably caused the minimum of hardship to the inhabitants of those sections of the City affected. As a constant supply was available, the people were able to obtain water from the fountains at any time during the 24 hours instead of receiving, in many cases, a meagre supply in their houses at restricted and stated times as must have been the case had the rider main system been in operation. To effect the necessary curtailment of consumption, the rider mains could only have been operated for about one hour daily.
The quantity of water stored in the impounding reservoirs on the 1st January amounted to 288.47 million gallons and it reached a minimum on the 10th May when it amounted to 145.26 million gallons.
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