DRAINAGE BOARD.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 848, 13 March 1877, Page 3

DRAINAGE BOARD.

Monday, March 12. A special meeting of the Board was held at 11.30, to receive the deputation appointed at the meeting held recently at Mr Charles Clark’s rooms. The following members were present— Messrs Hobbs (chairman), Ross, Jones, Harman, Wright, Hall, and Duncan, The deputation consisted of Hon J. T. Peacock, Dr Frankish, Messrs L. B. Nathan, B. B, Bishop, G. G. Stead, and W. D. Wood. Mr Ollivier—Mr Chairman and gentlemen, we have waited on you as representing a publip meeting held some short time since at Mr Charles Clark’s rooms, to bring under your notice a resolution there passed, and also to put certain leading questions to you, to which we shall feel obliged if your Board will give us answers. The resolution passed 3,t that meeting I will read to yon. It is as follows This meeting is of opinion that any schema for the drainage of Christchurch and the surrounding districts should be comprehensive and complete, and should have accompanying it a carefully prepared estimate of the cost; and further, it is expedient that a matter of such magnitude should not be decided on hastily before the people interested have time to consider the question in all its bearings.” At a subsequent meeting Which took place of the gentlemen who are associated with me on this deputation, it was resolved to send certain questions to you, to which we could receive your auswer at the present interview, and which 1 have already had the honor to forward to you. Those questions are as follows " 1, As to What portion of Mr Can-others’ report it is the intention of the Board to adopt and to im mediately carry out. (#) As regards the water closet system (i) And the removal oi the sewage to the estuary. 2. Are the artesian wells to be stopped? 3. Are the houses to be connected with the sewers bj pipes ? 4 After defining the works intendeo to be put in hand under the system, we have to request that you will favor us with an

approximate estimate of their cost.” We feel, sir, that until we are in possession of the information, the principal heads of which I have embodied in the questions submitted, we, the public, are totally unable to deal with the question. We, sir, therefore, would feel grateful to you if you will give us the information asked for by us, and we shall then be able to sit down and con=ider the subject by the light of the information thus afforded to us. It may be said that delays are dangerous, but we think that the delay of three months for which we ask would not be prejudicial to the interests of the public. The Chairman then proceeded to reply to the deputation, but, owing to the fact that he spoke in a very low tone of voice and that the accommodation provided for the reporters was such as effectually to prevent them hearing anything, the greater part of his remarks were inaudible. The views expressed however by him are contained in the following letter of reply, which was subsequently sent to the deputation, and which we publish in this place : “ Christchurch, March 12th, 1877,

“ J. Ollivier, Esq. “ Sir,—l have the honour, by direction of the Drainage Board, to forward you the following reply to jour letter of March Bth, 1877

“ The Board have adopted, and it is their intention to carry out with as little delay as possible, the system of sewers laid down in MrCarruthers’ place, that system being in their opinion complete and comprehensive, comprising within its area the following districts—Christchurch proper, Addington, Newtown, Waltham, Phillipstown, Ferry road, Avonside, Bingsland, the district between the north town belt and the Edgeware road, Knightstown, St Albans, and Papanui road, with provision for further extension. “ The Board have no intention of disturbing the present arrangements for the removal of night soil, excepting in so far as they may see their way tn effect some improvements in matters of detail.

“ As regards the removal of sewage to the estuary, the Board intend that no sewage shall be there discharged beyond that which at present finds it way there, whether by the rivers or by the existing drains. Their ulti' : mate decision as to the disposal of the sewage when collected, whether by discharge into the sea or into the deep water of the estuary, or by pumping it overland for the purpose of filtration, will be delayed until the Board have obtained the fullest information requisite to enable them to come to a satisfactory conclusion, “In reference to the water supply from artesian wells, the Board have no desire to restrain its liberal use, but they are of opinion that it will be to the interest of the public that they should, by Legislative enactment, be armed with sufficient power to enable them to restrict its improper waste. “ The Board have no intention, as a general rule, to connect the houses with the sewers by means of pipes. In some cases, however, the connection may be allowed, and in others insisted upon, in the interests of public health ; but in all such cases the works will be carried out upon the plana, and under the strict supervision of the engineer to the Board, and on no other conditions. “The estimated cost of the works comprised in Mr Carruthers’ plans, including management, is £167,000, of which about £6OOO provides for the sewerage of roads which at present are almost unoccupied. “ Lithograph plans, accompanied by an explanation furnished by the engineer, will be prepared and will be supplied to ratepayers atthecostof Iseach; butthe Board regret that they are unable to accede to the request of your committee, “that the subject shall remain in abeyance for a period of say three months from the issue of the above information, “ I have the honor to be, Sir, “ Your obedient servant, “ B. J. 8. Harman, “ For the Chairman.” Mr Nathan asked if the Board could give an approximate estimate of the work which the Board intended to go on with. Mr Duncan—We have not an estimate of the whole work yet. Mr Nathan pointed out that, as the Board had informed them that they only intended to carryout partof the work, the approximate cost of the scheme was of little interest to them. Mr Ollivier asked if the Board could give them the approximate cost of the portion which they said they intended to go on with, and then they could form their own conclusions. Mr Duncan thought it would be very unwise to put the figures of their engineer before the public as respected a part of the work for which they were calling for tenders.

Mr Ollivier—The Board might give us an approximate estimate only, not a detailed one, so that we can form some idea of the proposed work you say you intend to carry out.

Hon J. T. Peacock said that what the public wanted to know was, what would the whole scheme cost to carry out. He did not think it worth while to have the cost of a portion only. What he also wanted to know was, if they were only going to do the high level system, when was the other part to be done ; Were three parts of the people of Christchurch to wait for some years until the next part came to be done ? Mr Wright wished to explain that the works they intended to do were two of the trunk sewers ; the branch street lines could not be carried out until the quotations for pipes which had been invited reached the Board. He believed that though the work might be delayed for some months the public would agree, and the Board also, ultimately that the whole work should be carried out. A great deal had been said on the subject, but he believed the public were not fully informed what the Board intended to do. [Mr Ollivier—“Hear, hear.” 1 But he thought this, that whatever system they adopted they would have to come to the sewer system at last. [Mr Wright was going on to read an extract from the Loudon Times on sewage. J Mr Ollivier said that the deputation had not come there to argue points with the Board ; their mission was specially to obtain information from the Board as to what they were going to do, Mr Duncan said that he thought that if they went beyond the mere formality of receiying the deputation it would be beneficial to the public. Indeed he would like to ask the chairman to get the engineer to put the plana of Mr Oarrutbers on the table and explain them to the deputation, many of whom perhaps had never seen them.

Mr Stead—l think Mr Duncan has mis taken the purport of the visit of the deputation, We don’t come to discuss the

plana pro or con ; they may be the very best in the world ; bat what we want is to ask for information on various subjects of interest to the public. But I gather from what Mr Wrisht says, it may be five or six months before you decide for certain whether you will go on with the work or not. [Hear, hear.] What we want to know is this, if you have come to any idea of the amount which it will coat to carry out the plans, or whether you intend to carry on the work without reference to cost. I should like to know as a ratepayer what tax I shall have to pay. Mr Harman said that if the high level system was not carried out the draining into the river from north and south as at i present would have to go on. The subject of most importance was the matter of delay, Perhaps the city might be able to wait in carrying out the plans, but perhaps the suburbs could not, as it might be a matter of life and death to them. But if the city and suburbs agree to delay, the Board would be perfectly willing to agree. Mr Duncan said that the plan of Mr Garruthers’, adopted by the Board, and for the construction of which instructions had been given by resolution the other day was for the providing of a storm water channel—the Ferry road sewer —and the relief of the S.W. portion of Christchurch. No sewage was intended to go down the Ferry road sewer at all,

The plan of Mr Garruthers was then laid on the table.

Mr Ollivier said that on seeing the plan he discovered that the Board intended to carry out something totally different to what he expected. This made him more than ever convinced that it was necessary that the plans should be in the hands of the ratepayers, so that they might study them at their leisure.

Mr Stead —When do you intend to carry out the rest of the plan ? Mr Duncan —The citizens of Christchurch say that they don’t want to have deep sewers.

Mr Hobbs—We don’t intend to carry out the plan if the ratepayers object to it. But the part we have now put in hand is not connected with the general scheme ; it is a separate matter, and is to provide for the storm water to be removed.

Dr Ifraukish—ls there any scheme before the Board for flushing the sewers irrespective of the artesian well supply ? Mr Hobbs—The engineer will indicate on the plan the flushing proposed by Mr Carruthers.

Mr Wright said that Christchurch, though laboring under many disadvantages as re garded drainage, had yet great natural advantages for flushing. Indeed few cities possessed such facilities for this as Christchurch.

Mr Ross—What is the ultimate end of this opposition, or rather this questioning of the Board ?

Mr Ollivier said that after studying the matter carefully with the information afforded them by the Board before them the public would then be enabled to form a definite opinion either one way or the other, They would then be able to decide with the Board or against it; whether the expenditure proposed to be made was a wise one or the reverse.

Mr Ross thought that the matter ought to be decided by persons who were technically able to give an opinion. Hon J. T. Peacock would like to ask Mr Bell whether if the whole work was abandoned, the work proposed to be carried out by the Board would be necessary in itself ? Mr Bell—lt would be necessary as a storm water sewer. But if this was to stand alone it would be necessary to have it made larger, as Mr Carruthers had distributed the storm water over a larger area. Mr Stead—Do I understand that when you have carried out the part of the plan you have referred to, you do not intend to go on with the further parts of Mr Car ruthers’ scheme until the ratepayers decide ? Mr Hobbs said his own opinion was this. They went out of office in about a year and a half; they would then only have completed what they now intended to do, and the question of proceeding with the rest might be left to be decided by the election. Mr Stead—Then will the Board say that the ratepayers will not be involved in further expense than that necessary to be incurred to carry out the part of the scheme you intended to do? Mr Hall would like to ask Mr Bell if they could dispense with the pumping stations.

Mr Bell said that the scheme was not dependent on the pumping stations, but then they would be draining into the rivers as now.

After some further discussion, the chairman said a written answer would be sent to tbs deputation. Mr Bishop, after the retirement of the other members of the deputation, said he desired to ask one question, and it was this, was the report and plans of Mr Carruthers both accepted by the Board ? Mr Harman —The plan only and not the report has been adopted by the Board, and the misunderstanding op thia point has caused most of the opposition. The Board then went into committee, and afterwards adjourned.