PETONE SEWAGE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1380, 5 March 1912, Page 7

PETONE SEWAGE.

UP-TO-DATE SCHEME. C'li.\Sll)l-;i!I-:i) 11Y T!IK CUI'XCIF,. A special meeting „f the l'ctnnc li..roug!i < •..iiii.-i! was held lii~i evening lor I he |)iii-|K!-c of ili-.<-n—iiijx an up-to-date ■Wiisr m'Mciii lor I'd Thn-e pri-onl were: The .Mayor ..Mr. .1. \Y. M'Kwanl and Councillors VVakchnin, l.is'i, llrncklcbauk, Cox. aiul 'i'rneinan. IScforc introducing the subject. Air, M'llwnu staled thai ho would like u. say something regarding Iho general iinpiovoincut of the borough. It. was proposed to put a concrete wall along Ihe esplanade d the engineer had irepareil a rough estimate of JJlo per cluJii. II would lie necessary to have an asphalt wall;, the ljcacli cleaned up, and a really good promenade, would he made.

Report by Mr. Mesteycr. Mr. ANv.vnn then pushed on to Ihe sov.crage. scheme. He incutioiietl that .Mr. -Me-lcyer had prepaivd a plan, which divided {he district into seven area-, two of which had alrcartv been dealt with. The whole co-t would be ab;>ut. ■MIUHIO. .Mr. Ale-foyer's report slated that no very expensive -clii'ino need be contemplated, and there would be no need tn .;» verv deep. ,\ septic tank would be erected on the sandhills, which would 1m capable of dealing with the iTfiiiiram-nls of a population of 12,1101) people. The details of the scheme, with approximate costs, would be somewhat as follow:—Seven ejectors and accessories, .tl)l(lt); engine house. gas engines, pipes, and valves, .tiriild; laving sewer of 17.V miles (covering the whole of the borough)', .£22,01)0; cast-iron pipe, .t'llll'i; septic tank. •CMiOO; engineer's and legal costs, .fclllllll; contingencies. .£100; total, .1'1f1.150. The "Shone" system would be u-ed for eicvntins 'be .sewerage.

Borough Engineer's Report. The borough engineer iJIr. Cov.ie), rePorHng- on ilio selieir.e, si a toil thai the Hist i'o'isiilpi'atimi was Ilio water .supply. He was convinced that there would lie no difficulty in this direction, as the available-supply would sullioe for double the present population. lie estimated the cost as under:— Five ejectors with motors, pumps, ami all neee-sary pipes, valves, anil connections .1:75110; twelve miles of slnnc-ware pipes, ,£1:!,700; dyiuinios, cables, and posts, .twill; soi'vago main (east-iron pipes and seplie lank), .CliDOO; alterations to usinliiiK gas mains, etc., .£110(1; engineering expenses at S per cent., ,Clili.">; supervision, at 10 per cent., .tJiWO; allowance lor household connections and lit lings (which will be repaid by the council), .£181(15; total, .£fI),OOD. Talcing, then, the cost as above, the interest at 3.1 per cent, represented an annual'charge .£llOO, and sinking fund .£IOO. To run the power plant, about JMSO per year would l.e required. This, and Iho upkeep would cost .£IJO. The amount paid for sanitary rates and upkeep of buildings was approximately .L'Uillll last year, and this would leave an additional sum of .CSOO.to be provided for. Until the houses were connected with the new system, the present system would have to be kept gring, but would be gradually diminished, and finally abolished.

In regard to Mr. Mcslayer's report, Mr. Cowie favoured the method adopted by the Cliristehurch Drainage Board, of small electric motors and pumps, in preference to the compressed-air system. Another Engineer to be Consulted. The reports were discussed generally, and also the question of forming an esplanade. • Councillor Cox raised the point of cost ill rates, The Alnyor, in reply, slated that he thought that it w\ uld not"be advisable to discuss that aspect of the question at present. Councillor Cox said that, while this sewage schema was before the meeting, it was a convenient opportunity to refer to all the other schemes required. Councillor List lliniglit: that most ratepayers would favour a sewage system. ■ "I'lio .Mayor remarked that after the system had been installed—say, in ilio second yeai —it would not cost more than ■£200 or ,£3OO more than the present system was costing. Ho did not propose to ask the council to arrive at any decision. Councillor List thought that something final should be arrived at. He suggested that the separate reports should Ira laid before Ihe ratepayers. Personally, he favoured Air. C'owie's report and estimates. Councillor "Wakoham thought that the matter should be held over until there was a full meeting of the council. The .Mayor was of opinion that the borough engineer should be instructed to confer with another engineer. It was essential to conie to a decision as to whether it was better to use compressed air for the elevation or electric motors.

Councilbr Brocklobank thought that the proposal need not bo hurried. The matter should be thoroughly threshed out. Subsequently the Mayor's suggestion that the engineer should consult with another expert on the sewage system was adopted.