DRAINAGE BOARD.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 830, 20 February 1877, Page 3

DRAINAGE BOARD.

Monday, February 19. On resuming after the visit to the outfall drain, the Board proceeded to discuss the engineer's report seriatim. On the clause referring to the Hospital being read, Mr Harman moved—" That a recommendation be addressed to Mr Rolleston, suggesting as a temporary measure the adoption of the proposals of the engineer of the Board with reference to the drainage from the urinals and dead house at the Hospital, and that for ordinary house drainage the difficulty will be most satisfactorily met by the construction of a shallow concrete tank to hold about 5000 gallons : such tank to be emptied every night into the river." Mr Hobbs seconded the motion. Mr Jones moved, as an amendment—- " That the engineer of the Drainage Board provide drainage from the Hospital to enter the river Avon below the bathing sheds."

Mr Ross seconded the amendment pro forma. On a division, the motion was carried. The clause referring to the Ferry road drain was then considered. On this being read — Mr Wright moved —" That the engineer be instructed to advertise for tenders for the construction of the Ftrry road drain, according to the specifications and conditions sent in, such work being urgently needed for the draining of the storm water to the southeast of Christchurch." Mr Jones seconded the motion, which was agreed to, and the engineer instructed to advertise in the Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin papers for tenders for the work. The Board then proceeded to consider the resolutions forwarded by his Worship the Mayor, as chairman of the public meeting at the Oddfellows' Hall, Christchurch. Mr Duncan thought it was not at so late an hour proper for them to commence to debate such an important subject. So far as the Ferry road drain was concerned, whether they had surface or underground drainage, that must be done under any circumstances, But when they had resolutions such as these forwarded to them by the chief magistrate of the city, as an expression of opinion from so large a number of the public, they should take time to consider the matter. Therefore he had much pleasure in moving— '* That his Worship the Mayor be written to informing bim that the Board would take the resolutions into its earnest consideration at au early date, and that his Worship be requested to inform the public of the decision,"

Mr Hobbs said that he desired to second the motion. It was far better, even for the opponents to Mr Carruthers' scheme, that some time should be taken to consider the matter, and that the Board should well weigh all the circumstances. But while he said this, he was bound to state, and he did so with every confidence, that there was not a single valid argument adduced in the speeches of those who bad spoken in opposition to the Board at the public meeting. He had listened attentively and carefully, and he had failed to find one iota of ground for the statements which had been made so recklessly by the speakers he had referred to. They seemed to him to know nothing whatever of the subject they were talking about. It was one which required from a layman at least six or eight months' careful reading of the best authorities on the subject, and yet they found persons coming forward there who, apparently, had given little or no thought at all to it. He need only point to the way in which the fallacy of their arguments had been exposed by tan letters of Messrs Wright and Mann appearing in the Lyttelton Times to show the truth of what he was stating. The whole fact of the case—and herein, to his mind, lay the whole gist of the opposition—was that the agitation had been got up by some discontented persons who objected to the payment of rates. He (Mr Hobbs) thought that the chief opponent of the Board had this in his mind at the time he projected the meeting. The public must recollect that, to a g*eat extent at least, the Board had taken over work hitherto performed by the City Council. This could not be carried out without rates, and he, as well as other members of the City Council, had in their minda the reduction of rates so far aa was practicable. However, he (Mr Hobbs) hoped that the Board would not allow clamorous opposition without a show of reason, except a cry founded on a reduction of rates, to divert them from the performance of their duty. So far as he was concerned he should be prepared to discuss this question at any time, and with any one who might feel disposed to do so. But thiß he contended, and he had no hesitation in affirming it, that to allow a. meeting such as that oq Thursday evening, packed as it was by Mr Williams with persons ready to applaud him to the uttermost, aud hissing j all those opposed to hira, to dictate to than would he an utter absurdity To thiiik for one moment that eight gentlemen of education, sitting as a public Board, who gave up their time for public benefit, should be dictated to by a meeting packed as he had described was not to be thought of, He spoke warmly on this matter, and he might say further than this, that so far from the •meeting at Christehurch being unanimous, there were a number of gentlemen who did not vote either one way or the other. The meeting might have been useful in this degree that it gave an opportunity to a number of discontented persons to get rid of a superfluous amount of gas, and no doubt they were all the better for it. He himself was quite prepared to discuss the question. He was a supporter of Mr Carruthers' plan, because he thought it was one conducive to health, and to the preservation of life. [Hear, hear."] The motion was then put and carried. Regarding tho Ueathcote resolutions, Mi Harman moved—" That the chairman of the Heathcote Road Board be informed that this Board is fully alive to the necessity of guarding against the creatiuu of any nuisance by the discharge of Christchurch Bewage into the River Heathcote, and that every care will be taken to avoid the adoption of any course which may be prejudicial to the interests of that portion of the drainage district." Mr Jones seconded the motion. Ho felt sure all the Board would agree with him that tho inspection they had held that day revealed the fact that tho only smell wbb that of seaweed. The Board he knew had it in their mind to endeavor as far as possible to remove rather than place evils amongst the peop '*». It might perhaps be necessary, as a temporary measure, to cut a channel to take the sewage out into the river, but as was amply proved that day, there waa no smell.

whatever arising. The real fact was that whatever effluvia arose now had existed some fifteen years, and was merely the smell of the sea. The agitation in Ghristchurch was he contended got up by those opponents of progress, who in every instance stood forward to oppose any measure of sanitary or other reform that they themselves did not propose or second, This was all they had to rest upon.

The motion was agreed to. Mr Duncan moved—" That as a temporary measure the engineer be instructed to have the end of the outfall drain carried forward chains to join the deep water channel of the Heathcote." He thought that this was a necessary work, as perhaps the sediment might require to be carried forward, and this as a temporary measure would not cost much. It was true that when they visited the end of the outfall drain that day, there was no smell perceptible whatever, but it might be more so on a close day. Therefore such a measure as he proposed would at any rate convince the public that they were desirous of removing even the slightest approach to a nuisance. Mr Ross seconded the motion. He could endorse what had been said by Mr Duncan as to the absence of any smell. Bub the work he proposed was one which would be of very great advantage if carried out, The motion was agreed to. The tender of Mr C. W. Turner for 1300 casks of cement at 17s 2d per cask was accepted.

The Board then adjourned for a fortnight.