The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1892. The Drainage Question

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 59, 5 November 1892, Page 2

The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1892. The Drainage Question

In our correspondence column to-day " Colonist" has a letter on the subject of drainage, which is of peculiar interest in Feilding just now. If his idea had been acted upon when this town was laid off, a good deal of future trouble and expense would have been spared the present residents and ratepayers. Everyone must agree with " Colonist " that a system of drainage should be laid down in cases of an open country town site immediately after the first survey by the surveyors who are familiar with the ground. When the levels have been taken and duly recorded the rest is easy. In bush land this could not be done until after tbe forest had been cleared, bufc, as our correspondent points out, a proper time could be appointed when what was necessary could be done before tbe rapid increase of settlement, and the consequent erection of many buildings, made the task both difficult and expensive. That the Borough Council must, ere long, consider a system of drainage for this town is becoming more apparent every day. Naturally the subject is avoided as a disagreeable one, but unpalatable as it may be the ratepayers must make up their minds to discuss it. Of course it means raising money by loan, and possibly an iucrease of rates directly or indirectly by an increase in the valuations. If the idea of raising a loan is favorably received, than we would urge that it be sufficiently large to cover water- works, gas, a complete system of drainage, the erection of suitable municipal buildings, street improvements, and road making. The money could be obtained at a very cheap rate in London so that the additional burden would be, comparatively speaking, light, while the number of ratepapers wbich, by the way, is increasing every day, would spread it over a greater surface. Of course our suggestion is merely tentative, and made in tbe hope of exciting discussion with the view to thoroughly ventilate so remarkably important a question.