The Globe. MONDAY, APRIL 30, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 888, 30 April 1877, Page 2

The Globe. MONDAY, APRIL 30, 1877.

The weeks slip by and yet we hear nothing of the lithographed plans of Mr. Carruthers' scheme. The winter is rapidly approaching, and as yet hut little if anything has been done for the relief of those districts which were such severe sufferers by floods last year. If we are going to commence an elaborate scheme of drainage it certainly should not be in the depth of winter, when the probability is that the Avork will be interrupted two or three days a week. It will be far better for the Board to devise temporary measures for the relief of those parts of the district requiring it most urgently, and leave the permanent works over. In the meantime plans might be invited which, as well as Mr. Carruthers', might be submitted to a competent tribunal of Engineers, whose decision should be final. This we feel sure would give far more satisfaction than to have plans adopted at public meetings, crude and ill-digested as they necessarily must be, forced for adoption upon a Board who could scarcely be expected to possess the requisite technical knowledge. The public by the plan suggested would feel that the best engineering advice obtainable had been procured as to the merits of the different plans, and that so far as possible every means had been taken to secure the one best adapted to our wants and at the same time within our means. By the construction of temporary works where needed the delay until next spring of the commencement of the scheme ac-

cepted would do no harm. The residents, we feel sure, in the low-lying parts of the city would, so lor g as they wore saved the damage of last year, be content to wait for a more elaborate system until the matter had been thoroughly thought out. As matters now stand we very much fear even should the production of Mr Carruthers' plan lead to its acceptance that the season is too far advanced. After the plans are out they have to be considered, public meetings will have to be held, and at least a couple of months of valuable time will be lost. This brings us to the month of June —or midwinter. The work would then be too late to give the relief recpiired, and Avould be executed under very great difficulties. It therefore seems to us advisable for the Drainage Board at its next meeting to take the whole matter up and seriously consider whether, under all the circumstances, a postponement till next spring is not the best course to pursue. Looking at the matter from all points we think that in reality time would be saved by doing so. One thing is certain that we should get the best possible advice as to the plan to be adopted. The Board in the meanwhile could carry out such works as the deep water channel for taking the sewage into the stream at the estuary, and others of pressing importance. The drainage of "Waltham, the Gasworks road, and Phillipstowu, could be served by the Perry road sewer, which we are told does not form an integral part of Mr. Carruthers' scheme. That is, this sewer must be constructed to take away the storm water whether the whole scheme of Mr. Carruthers is adopted or not. It stands by itself, and can therefore be made use of as a temporary drain for the districts referred to. Thus, it will be seen, no evil results will follow on the postponement, while, on the other hand, we believe much good will be done. We commend the matter to the consideration of the Drainage Board, as a means of cutting the Grordian knot of the difficulty in which they now find themselves,

We are glad to notice that at last, after repeated complaints in the publicpress and reports from its Inspector, the Council have decided upon removing the cab nuisance in Gloucester street. At any rate, it has referred the matter to the Commissioner of Police ; so that we may expect after a few more letters have passed between the parties, to be enabled to walk on the public footpath without annoyance. It has long been matter of surprise to us that the Council should have declined to take notice of complaints about this nuisance. That it is such is amply proved, and yet for some year or so it has been allowed to exist unchecked. What is really wanted is a thorough revision of the bye-laws of the Council itself, so that'it may be enabled to deal with matters of this kind. It seems somewhat anomalous that the Council should have to apply to another body to remedy a nuisance committed by its own licensees.