DRAINAGE BOARD.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1346, 7 June 1878, Page 3

DRAINAGE BOARD.

Friday, June 7th, The Drainage Board held their usual fortnightly meeting at 10 30. Present —Messrs H. J. Tancred (chairman), E. J. S. Harman, Eoss, A. Dnncan, Hall. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. engineer’s report. The engineer’s report was read as follows : I have examined the locality of which complaint was' made to the Board by C. Preston and others. In a former report to the Board I proposed a route for this drainage which was approved. Objections were made to it by the owner of the land through which it would pass, and I promised not to undertake the work until the question of the drain through Mr Kruse’s land was settled. I would now propose to drain E.S. 222, 223, 224, and by cutting a drain along the division fence on E.S. 378 this will give the desired drainage, and will not damage the section. Owing partly to bad weather I have not yet had time to examine and report on other matters referred at the last meeting to the engineer. Complaints are made of the flooding of St. Alban’s Creek, which is caused by the breaking down of an old culvert under the road, on which a heap of road metal was piled. X have written repeatedly to the surveyor or the Avon Eoad Board asking' him to remove the obstruction by repairing the culvert. I submit the reply received and request instructions from the Board. It was resolved that the engineer negotiate with Mr Daniels, owner of section 373, for carrying the drain across the section, as indicated on the plan. In the matter of the flooding of St. Alban’s Creek, it was resolved to refer the question to the Board’s solicitor, and to take action in accordance with his advice. The question of the drainage been taken through Mr Lancaster’s land was left in abeyance for the present. jackson’s creek. Mr Eoss called the attention of the Board to a letter which appeared in the Press of Thursday, 6th inst., referring to Jackson’s Creek. ■VVitii regard to the complaint therein made, the Engineer Said he did hot know what the writer referred to. He had not received any instructions not to clear the creek, in fact he had done so repeatedly. The Chairman said the letter was_ calculated to be useful, as calling the attention _ of the Board to the drainage of a locality which had not been included in Mr Clark’s scheme, but eventually it would have to bo so, and the Board’s attention being called to the matter, proved the value of the letter. It was resolved that the attention of the engineer be called to the subject referred to in the letter, with a view to the eventual drainage of that part of tbs district. correspondence, A letter was read from the clerk to the Sydenham Borough Council, stating they had received letters from the burgesses of the Borough, calling attention to the neglected state of the culvert underneath Colombo I’oad, where it is crossed] by Jackson’s Creek, and to a.-k the same to be cleared out in anticipation of the permanent lowering of the level of the creek and a new culvert. Also, acknowledging receipt of Mr Clark’s report on the drainage scheme, and conveying the thanks of the Council for the same. . Th* matte? was rcfenv/1 to the engineer to report, and if necessary to take action, r Application was made from Mr Stanley Edwards, for permission to lay an iron pipe (for the purpose of a hydraulic ram) across the river Heathcote. The Hoai’d approved of the dr..ft letter of June sth. 1878, submitted by the engineer. The Engineer read another letter from Mr Edwards, asking the Board’s permis-iou for his Clients, Messrs Buckley aud Marshall, to bridge

over a part of the south city drain, near the Manchester street frontage. Permission was given, subject to revocation, for the work to be done temporarily, the Board reserving all its rights. A letter was read from' tlio clerk to the Heath* cote Load Board, asking if the Drainage Board would do that part of the permanent drainage in the Stanmore road, from Haast street to the river Avon, as shown on Mr C lark’s plan, and, if so, whether the Board can connect with that drain. It was resolved that the Board should proceed with thejconstruction of the permanent drain on the St mmore road, and that permission be given to the Heathcote Load Board to connect with it, on such conditions as may be laid down by the engineer. A letter was read from Thos. Williams, calling the attention of the Board to a small drain at the lower end of his property in the Springfield road, and requesting that it might be cleared. A discussion took place on the respective obligations of the Drainage and Road Boards, and Mr Duncan thought it high time a conference should be held by the Drainage Board and the various Chairmen of the Eoad Boards for tho purpose of enumerating the various drains in the district, with a view to define which drains came under the charge of the Drainage and which under the Eoad Boards. Ho drew attention to to a nuisance existing in the locality in question, which would come under the jurisdiction of the Board of Health. Referred to the engineer,' without prejudice, with power to act as far it it came within the scope of his duties. The attention of the Board was called in a letter from John Webster, to the state of the portion of St. Alban’s Creek passing through his propert and requesting the attention of the Board in the matter.

Referred to the solicitor for his advice. An application was made from Charles Stokes ‘or the clearance of Dudley’s Creek. Referred to the engineer, with power to act. RIVER OBSTRUCTION.

Mr Harman drew attention to the effect of the City Council’s sweeping machines, which had been used since the late heavy rain had set in. The machines did their work so effectually that enormous quantities of mud were swept into the side channels of the streets, and this mud found its way into the river. _ He thought steps should be taken to check this flow of mud by means of silt pits or some other method. It was resolved that the attention of tho City Council should be drawn to the fact that the sewage mud flowing into the river from the side channels is causing serious obstruction to the river, and suggesting that a system of silt pita would to some extent mitigate the evil. This terminated the business, and the Board adjourned.