THE SEWAGE FARM.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14979, 28 May 1914, Page 9

THE SEWAGE FARM.

nsn of-inspection.

The Chairman and members of the V/Unstoliurch Brainaßo Board, acoompaaied by representatives of various local authorities, tho -whole party numbering about- forty, paid a visit of inspection to tlio eoTvago farm/ Bromloy, yesterday. Many of those present Lad »ofc soon the farm before, and tlio visit enabled them all to soe exactly how iho important work of dealing with tho Cl ty eewago is carried out. Tbo main drain, leading from tbo rising liiain containing tho sevraga pnmped from tho city mains at the •Linwood pumping station, was first inspected. This drain, heavily concreted, carries a thick dark fluid into a huge sedimentation tank, also built in concrete. Tho purpose of tho tank, which nO3 a depth of inno toot, is to enaolc I ene mojo ao«d mac&er iii tho sewa&o to bo removed let ore itio reaUiwua eaiuent is allowed to how over auu Icrbiiiso tno surioumiinj; sanoy paa docks. Toe liquid scwago einws i«e tank ivoli below tliy suuaco, ami tnu solids rir-o to cho top and' iorm a th.c. mass in vrhich grass* graves luxuriantly At intervals this covering mais is removed, and deposited on the land noa'r : '"•y. lv appotsyanco tlio suriatu oi : tne i tiink resembles a. heaviJj jriasscd iic-id. but appoaranf.es nro- deceptive, as j straying horso discovered recency. It marched! right on to tho treacherous, yet tempting spot and met its doom. Since then tho tank has been securely fenced. From th<- settling tank tho sawa&o, led in artificial channels known as carriers, -t, taken to thf> various levelled paddocks and allowed to run over their surfaa?, uurichint, the suiti and vast crops at lush foiider. It was itatetl that the paddr.c..so treated are capablo of eupportinv; threo beasts to tho aero. Italian iyograss is what ia howa. and this thrm*> amazingly. Such ciilucjit as emerges from tho paddocks is well JUtcrod, quito o.ear water in fact, and this final effluent is led away by another eoc 01 carriers placed at a lower level than tho first set into a main, which, discharges into the estuary. Tho who!- , * system was fcimd to be remarkably interesting, 'notably as to tlto way in which a largo area of sand hilfcj h".6 teen trunsformed into valuable stick country, a necessary public senrico beifg performed-at the -:;vao tiirie. I'll. 4 area"controlled by the Board is nearly 500 acres, and of this well over a hundred acres has boon levelled and grassed. Further level paddocks aro formed as tho quantity of eov/ago to be disposed of increases, but it will bo many years before the whole of tho .area is brought into tase.

At tho farm a deputation from tho New Brighton Golf Club met tho 3FJoar<l lelative to an extension of tho links.. Tho Club, at present leases from tho Board an area of twenty-two acres, on ■which a nine ho!o course has been laid out. An additional area of t little over a Imndred acres is new apnliofl for to cnablo tlie C.'ul> to lay out a full course of eighteen holes. The area in question is well away from tho widuockij now in use. .'uul 1 leaves a big stretch of country intervening lor future- drainage operations. Tho Club propose to ck-ar the iar.d—it.ia . uov covered "with broom, bracken, and otiier growths —and surface sow it, ako to effect other improvements, which w..i' involve a total outlay when completoJ of several thousand pounds. Aire'a* > tins Club have sp:>nt a'cowsidferablt , saw of "ione/ hi ond improving * heir'present The members "1 tho Board seemed inclined to turn tho ear of favour to the request. espeedaUy when it was stated that tho Club would consent to a condition otiaV *'* Board to resume afc any time ou giving six months' notice should iho land be rcquirod, and more especially after tJ , chairman and a member had olayed two holes, to enable the assembled party to too wliat sort of a gamo it was. Thp chairman luid played. before. hi"3 opponent had not. and the little ftamiproduced intense interest. The matter of necedins to the deputation's request v.ill bo finally settled by tho BcarJ probably afc its next, meetin.cj." On returning from the farm the party visited tho pumping station aii'l inspected the plant thero, a eras plant consisting of two engines each 100 h,p M generating electricity whic v operates a set of three centrifugal pumps, and the old , steam Dlajitoporatino - suction pumps, tho latter bei.nir no* a stand-by, but ready at any. time to undertake awn those. duWs -which »► has go efficient»y performed xn. tho paist