Correspondence

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 5, 6 July 1893, Page 2

Correspondence

THE FLOODS. ; TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR. Sir, — The present flooded state of the B orough after the rain, is an opportune time to bring up again the question of the necessity of surface drainage for Feilding. It would seem hardly credible to a stranger to the town that a place of its sizejshould be to all intents and purposes absolutely without any drains to carry off surfaoe water, yet the fact is undeniable. We have the same pools and lakes lying about us year after year, winter after winter, yet not a hand is lifted to alter this wretched state of things. Property owners living on the flat, who have spent large sums in buildings and improvements have good cause to complain, their land is covered in places perhaps a foot or eighteen inches deep with water. They have no means of taking it away because there are no outfall channels provided by the Borough. There the water remains uutil it has either evaporated, or soaked into the ground. New houses are continually going up, and I believe there are two now in the course of erection in Denbigh Square, which is at present a swamp and is likely to remain one all the winter. Last year I pointed out when writing to the Star on the subject, that the coßt of cutting some large open drains along the principal streets sufficiently deep to give owners the op* pprtunityof draining their own properties into them, would be comparatively small. No sewerage system is required yet, and when it is required it would have to be quite separate and distinct from the surface water drainage. There is plenty of fall to enrrj all the water lying about right away, either to the Oroua, or to the Mnkino, according to the position of the land to be drained. It is nothing less than a disgrace to the Council, and indirectly to ourselves, the ratepayers, that no steps should have been taken hitherto to drain our town, and it is high time something were done. I would propose in conclusion, that the Council call tenders forthwith for taking tbe levels of the town and suburbs, in order to ascertain the best fall obtainable, and have an estimate prepared of the cost of constructing a number of open drains such as I have suggested. I am, etc., Bcbokss.