BOROUGH LOAN POLL

Chronicle (Levin), 22 October 1946, Page 4

BOROUGH LOAN POLL

HORACE E.

HERRING,

Sir, — Your admirable report _ of the loan • proposal meeting gives exaetly the sentiment of the audience. The sewerage scheme is tfppeririost in ratepayers' minds, . and at last most realise their borough cannot be regarded as anything but backward unfil thfs elementary necessity is provided. Certainly the term progressive, although several times used, does not apply to a council that ignores such pro vision, or at best places it in the background. At the time I, personally, felt a step had been made when the Mayor gave the undertaking to place a loan proposal for sewerage before the electors inside of two years, but I am sure this is much foo long a time. It is months since the appOintmen't of an engineer was made, and given that a great deal of work has to be done as a preliminary, ratepayers .shQuld insist on greater expedition. If topographical . information is lacking, and for an old, seltled district this is surprising, a firm of surveyors would provide everything essential inside of three months. Engineering and draughting work should take another six at the outside. There certainly is the larger issue of final disposal, important in view of the modern developments in Germany and Russia, and prevailing strong sentiment in favour of returning everything to the land, but in these air mail days enquiry should be immediately pr'oducfive of result, and should proceed parallel- with a reticulation design,. which would be unaffected anyway. Christchurch has a sewerage farm and no evident loud eomplaints about it- that one . can heaf, and Christchurch is not far away. The valuable contribution made by a gentleman speaking of fouling of present water supply owing t'o easy access to the headwater by cattle, indicates neglect on the present couneil's part to attend to a very vital need. It is further remarkable that on such an occasion little more than half the councillors saw fit to attend. No, Sir, urgency for a sewerage scheme and everything side tracked until this is provided, or at all events in hand. Put the £20,000 odd towards the major scheme, and let everybody realise that for this community to aspire to civic ■ squares and airports, however desirable, is rather like a man buying himself a silk topper when he 1 lacks a pair of trousers. Yours etc.,

Chartered and Registered Engineer, London and N.Z. Levin, '' Oct. 21.