DRAINAGE BOARD.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1572, 4 March 1879, Page 3

DRAINAGE BOARD.

MONDAT, MaBCH 3. The Board held its usual meetmg on the above date at 230 p m. Present —Mensrs A. Duncan, Ross, Blakiston, J. E. Brown, and Hall. In the absence of the chairman, Mr H. J. Tancred, Mr A. Duncan was voted to the chair. APOLOGY. Letters waß read from the chairman, Mr H. J. Tancred, and Mr R. J. S. Harman apologising for their absence from the meeting, and the former requested leave of absence in consequence of his duties as Chancellor of the University of New Zealand necessitating his presence in Dunedin. A motion was passed that the permission requested be granted for the next three meetings of the Board. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. bnginkbb's bbpobt. mi : '„ - Ann .«. ngi *a*A aa fnMn-arm.

The engineer's report was read as follows: 1. As directed by the Board, I have advertised for tenders to maintain the rivers and drains in Riocarton district, and the tenders are submitted this morning. . 2. I have examined the locality referred to in the letter from the agent 3 for R.S. 76. The drain in question crossei the Lincoln road, and flows throngh R.S. 76 ; it serves for the surface drainage of about 120 acres of land north of the Lincoln road, being R.S. 128, 132, 159; it also drains the sido channels of the road for about fifty chains. The agents fot R S. 7« are subdividing the property, and they the Board to put the draia throngh pipes where their new road crosses it. The size of pipe should be 15in., and twenty-tAO yards are required; the cost would be about .£1.2. In similar cases, the R ccarton Koad Board and the Sydenham Borough Council hive laid \ ipes and culverts under their roads at their own cost. 3. In the drainage of Fondalltown road the Board directed that the engineer should confer witb the chairman of the Riccarton Road Board, and make the drain that whs found tc be most suitable; in according with this, I have Ferved a notice on the proprietor of rural section 94, of the intention to cut the drain through his land, and have ordered it to be cut at once. I am in--1 formed that a drain formerly existed on the

same line, which has been closed by the proprietor. ..I 4. I have estimated tho cost to deepen the Mill road at rural section 70, so as to lower the Wit rin Mr Studh-dme's drain one foot. This would cost about .£SO, but if the drain alongside the Merivale lano is to be filled up and the water carried under tho rond in a pipe, the cost would be about £l2O. This work would r-ntail excavating the bottom of the race for twenty chains, so as to lower tho surface of the water .it tho end of Merivale lane. This would not affect the flood of the race, nor tho quantity of water carried by it. b The sewer works north of the Avon are making good progress. That in Madras street Iris re.chei the North belt, and is nearly joined from the river to Salisbury street. At Kil-Tioro street the sewer is being carried on, but some delay will be caused by having to divert tho. creek at St. Luke's Church, as the old sewer in which this cre«k runs come=t in way of the now one, and must be broken up, and the witer diverted in a pipe. Much delay and extrn, expense is incurred in Madras street for want of a proper supply of bricks an extra engine having to bo kept on hand to keep the w:iter down far the brickwork, which is far behind tho concrete invert The works at Ferry road and Antigua street are making very food progress 6 As soon as the question of widening Tuam street east is decided, I would propose to commence building the main sower from the pumping station towards the oast belt, and to carry it on by d;iy work at lea-t until the nature of the ground is ascertained, after which it may be let by contract if thought desirable. C. Napier Bell, Engineer. With reference to clause 1, it was decided that the tender of Messrs Brentford, Blair and Leach, for £325, be accepted. With respect to clause 2, Mr 0. Napier Bell said he had examined tho locality, and that a new chain road was being made on the south of the Lincoln road, and it was desired that the Board should bridge over the drains. It was decided to postpone the consideration of the matter until the next meeting of the Board. With regard to clause 3, the consideration waß deferred until next Board day. In consideration of clause 4,

A letter was read from Mr J. O. Helmore, protesting against tho action of the Board with reference to a drainage question affecting the properties of Mr S'udholme and Dr. Back in the Avon Road District, the effect of the said action being to divert the drainage from Mr Studholme's land into tho mill-race, or artificial cutting on part of RS. No. 7, the property of the writer. Mr Hall said he was authorised to state that in the event of the work being done on certain condi' ions, Mr Studholme would pay half of the expense. Mr Brown moved—- " That providing Mr Studholme and the Avon Road Board pay the cost of the 9-inch pipet required to carry tho water from the crook behind Mr Studholme's house to the mill-race, the Drainage Board will do the work and lower the mill-race so as to give the necessary fall." The motion was seconded and agreed to.

Clause 5 was considered. Mr Brown considered that the want of bricks was becoming quite a chronic thing with the Board's operations, and he thought that the Board should get the quantity if possible that was required at the contractor's expense. A hundred thousand bricks were required for the work, and he was ot opinion that the engineer should get a large quantity, say 50,000, wherever he could obtain them, and charge them to the contractor. The following resolution was put and agreed to—" That the engineer have power to obtain a further supply of bricks, as required, at the expense of the contractor." Clause 6 was considered satisfactory. COBBESPONDENOB.

The folio winst corresp -ndence was read : Heathcote Road Board Office, 24th Febrnary, 1879. The Chairman District Drainage BoardSir,—l bave the honor, by direction of the above Board, to call your attention to the following subjects, viz.: — 1. To remind the Drainage Board of a promise made many months since that the drain in Stanmore road from Haast street, Avonville, to the river Avon, should be done as soon as pipes arrived. As the pipes have been here some time, this Board is anxious the work should be done at once.

2. To point out the givat height the contractor is leaving the footpath on the south sids of the Fer> y road, it bdng in many places at least IMin. above the adjoining land. 3. To aak that the side channel on the north side of the roid should be thoroughly cleaned out and put in the name state it was before the commencement of the sewer, from Smith's road to where the sewer is covered in. 4. To ask that the contractor shall have instructions to clear the footpath on the north side of shingle. 5. That an inlet shall be left in the line of the side channel on the north side of the ferry road, of Wilson's road.

I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, W. T. D. Mills, Clerk of the Board

With reference to clause 1 it whs resolved that the work phould be comtr.enced as soon us possible. Respecting clause 2 the Board resolved : " The footpath has been loft at the present height, and allowing for the sinking of tne soil, the Drainage Bjard will however make the footpath to any level the Road Board wish, providing the Road Board take all future responsibility of the footpath sinking." Clauses 3, 4 and 5 were agreed to. A letter was read from the Heathcote Road Board giving the Board notice to cut the gorse from and surrounding the land in their occupation on Ollivier's road, part of R. S. 69, and warning them that if not done within fourteen days it would bo done at the Board's exponse. The Chairman said the matter was being attended to.

Bank of New Zealand, Christchurch, February 19th, 1879. The Chairman, Chri*tchurch District Drainage Board. Sir, —Referring to the interview I had this morning with yourself, Mr Blakiston and Mr Duncan, on the subject of the future conduct of the Board's banking account I have now the honour to place on record the terms agreed upon, viz. :—Ti e arrangements entered into on 18th January, 1876, to be renewed for a further P'-riod of three years f rom 9th May, 1879, wi h the modification that the interest to be allowed on deposits shall be at the rate of 5 per cent, on the mo- thly min mum balance of current account, taking all the current balances as one ; G per cent, on deposits fixed for six months and upwards. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedi nt servant, J. L. Coster. Bank of New Zealand, Christchurch, 26th February, 1879. Sib, —Referring to the interest due on the Board's debentures, at 30th June, in London, I beg to advise you that, should the Board wish to remit by draft at 60 days' sight as usual to pay same, it will be necessary to send the draft by the outgoing San Francisco mail, which closes here on Ist prox. I shall be glad, the efore, to receive a cheque for amount asunder : Half year's interest on £IOO,OOO at 6 per cent., .£3000; exchange oa draft at J per cent., £26 5s ; commission \ per cent, for paying amount in London, £ls; duty stamps on draft, £3; total, £3041 ss. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, J. Holloway, Pro Manager. A letter waß read from M- W. Boag, calling the attention of the Board to the state of the river Waimara, which, owing to its having risen to an unusual height, was causing damage to his land on sections 70 and 83. The Chairman stated the matter was being attended to. A letter was read from certain residents on the North road, complaining of the drain running from the junction of the Caledonian road to the Edgeware road. The letter was referred to the engineer to report at the next meeting of the Board. HOSPITAL DSAINAQB. The Chiiirman stated, in conjunction with Mr Booth, he had that morning examined the drainage at the Hospital, and he was of opinion that there was urgent necessity for the sewerage works to be pushed on as rapidly as possible, so as to connect with the Hospital. In the meantime, he did not think it. advisable to interfere with the existing arrangements.

Mr J. E. Brown said the state of the Hospital whs as bad ns could possibly bo from the defectiro sewerage. The walls had, through the bad effluvium, to be washed with carbolic acid, and the surgeons were airuid of amputating a finger or a leg. If only as a temporary measure he would recommend that

the so wage of tho Hospital should be carried into the tjcw sewer.

Mr Brown gave notice of motion that at tbe next meeting of the Beard he would move, as a temporary measure, that the Hospital drainage be allowed to connect with the Antigua street drain. The matter was ultimately held over until tho next meeting of the Board. IBAVH OF ABSENCE. Leave of absence was granted for a few days to Mr C. Napier Bell, the engineer to the Board. FINANCE. A number of accounts were passed for payment. It was moved by Mr Brown, seconded by Mr Hall, and agreed to .—" That £7OOO be drawn from the deposit account." A discussion ensued as to the advisability of the appointment of a finance committee, and Mr Hall proposed—" That Messrs Brown, Duncan, and Hobb* be appointed as a finance committee for 1879." Mr B obs seconded tho motion, which wag agreed to. The Board then adjourned.