CORRESPONDENCE. DRAINAGE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 902, 16 May 1877, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

DRAINAGE.

To tfye Editor of the Glohe.

Sir, —Will you afford me space to contrast the different methods employed by the home local Drainage boards and the Christchurch Drainage Board in their endeavour to obtain that great desideratum, efficient drainage or sewerage. At home Ihe course pursued is as follows: —The local Boards advertise for plans or systems calculated to meet the requirementsiof the case; upon these plans, &c., being sent in, the members of the Board not being so self reliant as those of our Board, or perhaps being conscious of the farce it would be for them to attempt to sit in judg ment upon works requiring great engineering skill and experience to originate and perfect, forward them (the plans) to some recognised competent authority, such as Bazalgette, Hawkesley, &c., experts, upon whose advice it would be safe to act. The Christchurch Drainage Board, on the other hand, totally ignoring the fact of their inability to grapple with or comprehend great engineering difficulties, employ an entirely different method. They go in the very first instance to what they consider the very best eng neering talent to prepare, for their approval, a system of drainage and sewerage suited to their special requirements; upon these plans being furnished, the Christchurch Drainage Hoard not being restrained by any diffidence or doubt as to their competency or skill to judge fairly of technical matters, or perhaps being under the impression that ex officio they have become experts, do not hesitate for a moment to sit in judgment upon this intricate engineering problem, and promptly and wiih laudable (?) expedition (very much expedition) decide upon the merit rnd suitableness of the proposed scheme. “ Just my idea,” “Graeoulus esuriens ” crie’, and Christchurch rejoices (or otherwise) in a drainage sewage scheme, the cost of which to the ratepayers is, well—an unknown quantity. Apr opos do lottos, Mr Hobbs at a certain meeting made use of a rather awkward quotation—‘‘Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” To whom or to what does it apply ? Yours, &c., “DAYtJS SUM, NON (EDIPUS.”