The Globe. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 825, 13 February 1877, Page 2

The Globe. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1877.

Pollowino the example of the Woolston residents, the Christchurch ratepayers intend holding a meeting on Thursday to discuss the drainage scheme. As a sort of safety valve perhaps for the discontent felt by the public generally at the outcome of the plan such a meeting may be useful. It would however be absurd to ask an assemblage such as will gather on Thursday evening to pronounce upon the merits of Mr Carruthers’ scheme. The one point to be kept in view, it seems to us, on Thursday evening is the making of a firm and decided protest against the pollution of the river, or the deposit of sewage on the flats. This may fairly be done at the public meeting, and the Drainage Board asked to re-consider the scheme with a view to eliminating from it what we consider its most objectionable feature. We hope therefore that the discussion will be directed towards this end which will be of practical benefit, and upon which a man of common sense, though not an engineer, can form an opinion. To take up the whole of the evening listening to the pet theories on drainage enunciated by various speakers would be an utter waste of time. No good can come of it, and the main point to which we have alluded will be lost sight of. What the whole energies of those promoting the meeting should be directed to is the prevention of the deposit of the sewage of the city at a spot where it will be dangerous not only to the health of those immediately contiguous, but the whole district. This is what a public meeting can legitimately and profitably discuss; but when, as is more than likely, five or six different schemes of drainage are propounded, what will be the value of the decision O.f the meeting? On a question of engineering any result arrived at would be utterly without weight. But on the question of the nuisance, not to say disease likely to arise from the covering of the ijats with sewage, its protest would carry some importance. At any rate, the Drainage Board would be bound to re-cpnsider that part of the wjiiob is what is wanted.

The old fable of Jupiter and the waggoner has been exemplified very strongly in the conduct of the City Council regarding the Cab Inspector. They have cried for aid to the General Government, and have been told to help This they have done, and the result is that wo shall at last have an officer to fulfil duties which have long been needed. It is true that we have had a Cab Inspector, but his multifarious duties, or some other cause, prevented any but the most perfunctory inspection being made. We hope the committee, to whom has been remilted the task of drawing up the schedule of the duties of this officer, will see that provision is made for a rigid inspection of all vehicles plying for hire. It is not many days ago that a public conveyance running on one of the most frequented but perhaps dangerous roads near Christchurch broke down, narrowly escaping a serious accident. Subsequent investigation revealed the fact that the wheel was rotten, and utterly unsafe for travelling. Now, had an officer such as it is now contemplated to appoint, been in existence, this would not have occurred, provided he did his duty. It is with a view to prevent such a state of things as this that we urge upon the Council to give the inspector full power and strict injunctions to thoroughly inspect all licensed conveyances. If a system of rigid supervision is carried out, the public will have confidence that so far as is possible the occurrence of accidents has been provided against. We hope also that in considering the applications the Council will take into consideration the special qualifications required for this post, and select the best man.