Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer – Thursday 01 August 1918

The Water Supply of Mexborough.

Local Government inquiry was held at Mexborough, yesterday, into application by the Mexborough Urban Council for sanction borrow £2,500 for waterworks purposes.

It was urged for the Council that owing the desperate shortage of water, and the precarious nature of the present supplv, the Council proposed to go down to the Oaks Rook, a prolific waterbearing bed of sandstone, which, when the collieries sank through it, was yielding at the rate of over two million gallons a day.

Dr. Huey (Medical Officer), while not opposing the Council, said the Oaks Rock scheme was somewhat speculative, and as neighbouring landowner, Mr. Montagu, had offered a plentiful and certain supply from springs on his estate at High Melton, he thought the Council should have accepted that offer.

The Inspector (Mr. W. C’rosthwaite) reminded the Council of the Treasury’s veto on Local Government Board sanctions, and said it was unlikely that expenditure for anything but vital and urgent purposes would be sanctioned.

Alderman Watson replied that he considered that in the Council’s present unhappy position this expenditure was most vital and urgent.