DRAINAGE BOARD.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 894, 7 May 1877, Page 3

DRAINAGE BOARD.

Monday, May 7. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Christchurch District Drainage Board was held at 10.30 a.m. Present —Messrs Tancred (Chairman), Hall, Duncan, Ross, Harman, and Hobbs. Mr Lannigan, of Auckland, attended upon the Board to request to be allowed to withdraw a lender put in by him for the Ferry road drain. Owing to the postponement of the time he wished to put in a fresh tender. After some discussion the Board agreed to return Mr Lannigan his tender, and also the CIOO deposit enclosed therein, the latter being paid into Mr Lannigan’s account at Auckland through the Bank of Australasia. The Engineer’s report was read as follows :

The fence along Antigua street will be com pleted in a few days,

TLe repairs to the outfall basin sewer are being executed as rapidly as circumstances will permit, and with the view to facilitate the completion I strongly recommend that the Board provide two pairs of water boots for the use of the men at work in the sewer, who at present suffer the hardships of working in water all day. The boots will always be serviceable for similar works.

The other works referred to the engineer at last meeting are being proceeded with. Those regarding reports are under consideration. A complaint has been made as to the state of the Avon at the Carlton Mill causing the water to back up in the tail race, and thereby reducing the power of the wheel. The general state of the river through the city is good, and upon examination it was found that at the Carlton bridge the water was slightly below the ordinary level. It will not, therefore, be necessary to take any steps in the matter. The plans of the drainage scheme have been completed, and arc deposited for sale at Mr Wood’s, bookseller, High street. Great inconvenience has been experienced from the went of a shed at this office to afford shelter for horses. At present they have to bo tied to the fence and exposed to all weather. It is recommended for the favorable consideration of the Board that a shelter be provided, the cost being kept as low as possible. John Webster, Surveyor to the Board. The clauses of the report were read seriatim and adopted. In answer to Mr Ross, The Clerk stated that one hundred copies of the lithographed plan had been sold up to that morning. On the motion of Mr Harman, it was resolved that a shed for three houses bo erected, the cost to be kept, as low as possible. A memo was read from the Town Clerk, requesting the Board to furnish him with legal authority to collect the drainage rates. Ou the motion of Mr Hobbs, Messrs F. C. Tribe and Murray were appointed as rate collectors to the Board, under clause 40 of the Rating Act. A letter was read from Messrs B. Cass and and J. W. Treadwell, as representing a public meeting of ratepayers, forwarding the resolutions as passed by the recent meeting in the Oddfellows’ Hall. Mr Hobbs moved “That, the letter bo acknowledged,” which was agreed to. Mr Hobbs said that, under clause 3 of the Rating Act, all Acts respecting the collection of rates, &c., were repealed. This, ho took it, did away with clauses 52 and 53 of their Act, and it was therefore necessary that they should give notice, under clause 40 of the Rating Act, of their intention to make a rate. Ho would, therefore, move “ That notice be given of the intention of the Board to make a rate of fivepence in the pound, and that particulars of the said rate be open to inspection until the Ist of .Tune next.” Mr Ross seconded the motion, which was agreed to, and the clerk instructed to give the necessary notice by advertisement. The Chairman was requested to sign the rate book on behalf of the Board. A letter was read from Mr N. Ellis, sending in the rate roll of the Riccarton district, and it was decided that a sum of £3 3s be paid to him for copying the same. A letter was read from Mr F. lung, asking whether a. creek running northward in Salisbury street to I,he Avon was a watercourse or not, as he was about to build. Mr Hobbs pointed out that this was a matter which had been long before the City Council, who were unable to form the street because of the drain which had been taken out of the properties fronting on it. It had thus become to a certain extent private property, and this prevented any action being taken. It w r as decided that Mr Webster be instructed to make enquiries as to the boundaries, &c., and to report at next meeting. A letter was read from Mr W. W. Cobb asking that the drainage from section 85 should bo taken from the upper portion, and that the drain be extended thereto. It was resolved to carry on the drain to the private road leading to Miss Lohse’s on the same terms as the other portion has been constructed. A letter was read from the Bank of New Zealand requesting the Board’s cheque for £3052 10s, on account of debentures. A letter was read from severe! residents on the canal reserve, calling attention to the bad state of the drains in that locality. It w r as resolved to refer the matter to the surveyor to report upon. lie was also instructed to take any temporary measures he might deem necessary. A letter was read from Mr Davis, of Kaiapoi Island, calling attention to the bad state of the drains on the road near his section 7071, which were choked up with watercress. The matter wus referred to the engineer. A letter was read from Mr J. R. Hill, calling attention to the direction of the creek running through his property on the Papanui road, and asking that th 6 Board would give such instructions as would cause the water to ilow through the creek. The clerk was instructed to reply that the Board had no power to comply with the request, as the drain which had been placed to direct the water through the property of Mr Hill and others was an obstruction. A letter was read from Mr Chick, requesting that a culvert or bridge be placed over the ditch near section 94, and also a number of works done. It was resolved that the letter bo acknowledged. The report of the committee appointed to consider the question of the collection of the outstanding rates in the Heathcote district was read, recommending that the collector be instructed (o summon defaulters at once, and failing his doing so the clerk to take steps to have the w r ork performed. The report was adopted. A report from Mr Duncan, as to negociations for a site for pumping stations, was read. He reported that he had been unable to do anything in the matter, and recommended that the land should be taken under the Act. It appeared that the people thought that a nuisance would be created amongst them, and they were very much opposed to the pumping station being established. Mr Hobbs said a resident of the locality had waited on him that day, and stated that the impression was that a nuisance was to be created. After some further discussion it was resolved that Mr Bell be instructed on his return to give the solicitor the necessary information to enable him to serve the necessary notices for taking the land required.

Accounts to the amount of £3383 12s 7d were passed, including a draft on London to cover interest of £3032 10s.

Mr Harman asked what had been done with regard to the deep water channel from the outfall drain into the Healhcole.

Mr Webster said that he was not aware of what had been done. It was resolved that, as no report of the progress of the work was before the Board, the attention of (he Engineer be directed to the fact that the work is one of urgent necessity. The following report on water from the Heath cote and the outfall drain after analysation by Professor Bickerton was read : “ Canterbury College Laboratory, May 3rd. “Sir, —I have the honor to forward to you herewith the results of samples of water and sewage received from you. In compliance with your request I have compared the data obtained with the standards and classifications as contained in Parke’s “ Hygiene,” and the following are the results. The water from the Avon comes within the definition of pure and ivholesome water as described in this work (p. 21). The Heathcote water stands high in the classification of usable waters. The Estuary shows but little contamination from sewage in this respect; it is slightly outside the definition of usable waters, as of course the high per-centago of saline matters renders it unfit for use. The sewage from the outfall drain has more suspended matters than that proposed to be allowed by the Rivers Pollution Commissioners. The organic nitrogen of the sewage representing contamination by animal matter is much below this standard. I have, &c., A. W. Bickerton, Public Analyst. Chairman of the Christchurch Drainage Board. Mr Harman said lie made no secret of his reason for moving for this analysis. It was to see whether it was necessary to go in for a scheme of underground drainage, or whether they could continue to drain into the river. The report of Professor Bickerton conclusively proved that up to the present time no pollution had occurred. Of course it woidd depend in the future ou the increase of the population, but what he wanted the public to understand was that the Board wished to keep the rivers as clean as possible. It was a question of saving the ratepayers expense, and he thought it was a very important and satisfactory report which had been read that day. This concluded the business of the Board.