DRAINAGE BOARD.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 806, 22 January 1877, Page 3

DRAINAGE BOARD.

Monday, January 22. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Board was held at 10.30 a.m. Present— Messrs Hobbs (chairman), Jones, Tancred, Hall, Harman, Boss, Wright, and Duncan, chairman’s statement. The Chairman reported that he wrote to Mr Carruthers as requested, and that gentleman arrived in town on the day the letter was written. Mr Carruthers informed him that the whole of the plans would be ready on Thursday next. He said that as he had another engagement for to-day, it would be as well for the Board to adjourn until some day later in the week, when he would be able to lay the complete plans before the Board. The Board would be enabled to proceed with some of the works at once, and call for contracts, if they thought proper to do so. Perhaps it would be as well that a special meeting of the Board should be held in order to have the complete plans laid before them, and to enable Mr Carruthers to attend; so that he could return to Wellington (as ho wished to do) as soon as possible. He had caused slips of the extracted articles on drainage which appeared in the Lyttelton Times to be procured for the information of members of the Board. The articles on the subject were very interesting, and would be of great service to the Board in carrying out their system for the drainage of Christchurch. He had seen Messrs Garrick and Cowlishaw with reference to the Eiccarton drain, and their advice was that the Board should get a conveyance from the owners of the property through which the drain ran. He had also seen Colonel Packe with reference to Free’s creek. That gentleman seemed to take a very independent stand, and seemed more inclined to enter into expensive litigation sooner than contribute towards the expense of diverting the creek. The consideration of the matter with reference to Free’s creek was adjourned for a fortnight. With reference to Mr Carruthers and his plans, it was resolved that the matter be left in the hands of the chairman, to call a meeting of the Board for Saturday next, if possible. The chairman said it was only fair to Mr Carruthers to state that that gentleman informed him that it had taken a longer time to complete the plans than he anticipated. The cause of this was, the necessity of taking a great many minor surveys and levels, and if he had been ever so ready, he would have been delayed by the absence of this necessary data. engineer’s report. The engineer reported as follows ; “ I beg to submit a comparative statement of the cost of earthenware pipes, which the Board should take into consideration, as it will be possible now to estimate what will be required of these and other earthenware articles necessary for the sewage of the town. . j “I would suggest the desirability of having a number of borings taken along the : streets to ascertain the depths at which , quicksands occur, as such information will j likely be required by both engineers and 1 contractors. A few such have already been taken, but not enough for this purpose. “I must request leave to postpone any answer to the motion made on the Bth i January, by Mr E. G, Wright, until all de- | tails of these plans are completed, before which I cannot form an opinion on the subject. “ I submit a letter from certain residents on the Edgeware road, and request the decision of the Board on the matter. “ I have the honor to remain, “C, Napier Bell.” Mr Harman moved, “That a sub-com-mittee, consisting of Messrs Wright, Ross, and Duncan, be appointed to consider the scale of prices for pipes, and report generally on the best method of obtaining them.” The motion was agreed to. With regard to clause 2 of the engineer’s report, Mr Wright moved, “That the engineer be authorised to take whatever borings he may think necessary. ” The motion was agreed to. The third clause of the report was approved. With regard to the Edgeware road, the matter was referred to the engineer, to take what temporary steps he thought necessary. The engineer’s report as a whole was approved. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was read from Mr T. S. Duncan, solicitor, on behalf of the Rev Charles Fraser, objecting to the drain in section 159, town reserves, being interfered with by the Board or its officers. The letter was referred to the Board’s solicitors. A letter was read from the City Council, agreeing to undertake the collection ot the Board’s rates, on a commission to be agreed upon. ' It was resolved that the letter be acknowledged with thanks. A letter was read from Messrs Thomas J. W. Shand, James Gregg, and R. and 0. flhodes, property owners south of the llic-

carton road, granting permission to the Drainage Board to cut a drain, without claiming compensation or damage of any kind, such drain, when cut, to be subject to the conditions and clauses of the Drainage Act, 1873. A. letter was read from' Messrs Garrick and Cowlishaw, advising the Board to obtain conveyances of the land. It was resolved that no action be taken until conveyances are obtained. The question of cutting the drain was left in the hands of the engineer, with instructions to do the work as soon as possible, ACCOUNTS. Accounts to the amount of £l3l 12s were passed and ordered to be paid. ANNUAL ACCOUNTS. The annual accounts of the Board, as audited, were laid on the table. On the motion of Mr Harman, it was resolved that the chairman do certify that the accounts are correct. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was read from Mr W. R. Johnston, offering his house and premises in Hereford street as offices for the Board ; the premises to be taken on a five-years’ lease, at a rent of £l4O a year. The Chairman stated that Mr Charles Clark, as agent for Mr Luck, offered the premises lately occupied by the Public Works Department, for £2OO a year, instead of £230 previously charged. Mr Bell (engineer) said either of the places would suit. Mr Palmer (clerk) said that if the Board’s offices were in Mr Johnston’s building it would be impossible for him to do the work he had now to do. It was not central enough. On the motion of Mr Harman, the quesof deciding the matter was left to the chairman, after consultation with the chief officers of the Board. THE CHAIRMANSHIP, Mr Hall moved that MrTancred be elected chairman for the current year. He had no doubt Mr Tancred would discharge the duties well and creditably. If he discharged them as well as the present chairman had done, the Board would have every reason to be well satisfied. (Hear, hear.) Mr Harman seconded the motion. He wished to point out that it was desirable to separate the office of chairman of the Drainage Board from that of Chairman of the Board of Health, because he did not think it fair that the duties of both offices should devolve on one person. Mr Tancred said he thought it only right to explain that, if the Board did him the honour to elect him, he would be absent at Nelson, on University duty, during February and a part of March. Mr Jones did not think this should interfere with Mr Taucred’s election. During his absence their present chairman could discharge the duties of the office. He had shown great ability during the past year, and he would be there to act until Mr Tancred’s return. He thought, however, that it was desirable a change should take place every year, so that all the members of the Board might become better acquinted with the duties they were called upon to fulfil. Mr Ross endorsed Mr Jones’s observations, and passed a high eulogium on Mr Hobbs for the energy and ability he had displayed during his term of office. Mr Hobbs briefly acknowledged the compliment. The motion for Mr Tancred’s appointment was put and agreed to. Mr Tancred, in taking the chair, returned thanks for the honor done him. Mr Wright thought a vote of thanks was due to the ex-chairman, for the able manner in which he had conducted the business of the Board during the past year. He, therefore, begged to move a vote of thanks to that gentleman, Mr Duncan endorsed all that had been said by Mr Wright, and considered that the vote of thanks should be ordered to be recorded in the minutes. The vote of thanks was passed, and ordered to be recorded accordingly. Mr Hobbs expressed his thanks to the Board for the kind manner in which they bad acknowledged his services. He had endeavored to do his best, and was glad that what he had done had met with their approval. [Hear, hear.] The Board then adjourned.