DRAINAGE BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1745, 23 September 1879, Page 3

DRAINAGE BOARD.

The ordinary meeting of the Drainage Board was held yesterday afternoon at halfpast two o'clook. Present—Mr Tancred (in the chair), and Messrs Hall, Duncan, Harman, Brown, Blakiston, and Boss. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, The report of the works oommittee was read as follows : In reference to the dam which was erected on the south side of Norman's road, whereby water was diverted from its natural fall into the Wairarapa, and made to flow into St. Alban's creek, the committee suggest that if the ratepayers interested in having the water conveyed down this latter creek will bear the expense of having a sufficient dam with proper sluice erected, and also take measures for having the sluice opened during heavy rain falls, bo as to prevent injury to the land owners north of Norman's road, your committee think this plan will suit all the persons interested, and are further of opinion that a sufficient quantity of water should be conveyed down the St. Alban's Creok for sanitary purposes. Mr Harman moved the adoption of the report. Mr Brown objected to the people being put to the expense of keeping a sluice-gate, when a dam 2ft. high would answer all the purposes required to meet the case. Some discussion followed, during which Messrs Harman and Duncan pointed out that a 2ft. dam might not be sufficient to give what was required, bnt in case it should, the committee would have no objection to adopt the course suggested. At this stage a letter from Mr T. S. Duncan in relation to the subjeot under discussion was read. Ultimately it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Boss, that the report be referred to the engineer, to report at next meeting of the Board as to whether a dam of small dimensions would be as suitable as a sluice-gate. The works committee also reported on Bees' creek at Merivale, to the effect that they would meet the case by the abandonment and closing of the present drain from Merivale lane to a road north of rural section No. 15, and by the adoption of a new drain. The works suggested in the report were authorised to be carried out. A letter from the committee of the unemployed was read as follows : To the Chairman of the Drainage Board, Christchurch. Sir.—We, as representatives of the unemployed in Christchurch, desire to urge on your worthy body the necessity for prompt action in alleviating the great distress at present raging here, and desire you to put on hand such public works as will tend to tide over this present depression. We also desire to point out to you that these men are bona fide workmen, not loafers, as is shown by their direct refusal to entertain in oommittee any solicitation for charity, that they scorn the idea; only as the very last resource, and we think that in all honor you cannot refuse to find work as far as it lays in your power for these men. Again, we desire to point out to you the necessity for employing married men, and those _ only, and to insurd this we would submit that the men required should be recommended by the unemployed committee. In asking the above we think that single men are more able to work on the railway than married men, considering the great discomfort it must be to married men to keep two houses after this great distress, and which single men will not require, and moreover it is better for a man to be near his household if possible. But these are minor considerations, the question is, can and will yon give ns work, and when ? A deputation will wait upon you at 3.30 to-day for answer. William E. Brown, And others. In reply to Mr Harman, as to whether there were any works at present to go on with. Mr Bell sta ed that there was a certain amount of work which would give employment to a few men. Mr Harman said he had always been of opinion, and held it still, that a great deal of the work the Board had to do could only be safely done by daywork, and he suggested that to meet the present emergency they should push forward all the contracts they could immediately. Some further discussion ensued, after which, A committee ot eight,"representing the unemployed referred to in the letter above quoted, waited upon the Board. The chairman said he did not know whether they were aware of it, but the Board had resolved to take men on by day work. One of the committee stated that waß what the unemployed required, especially in the ease of married men. The Chairman said the Board, in order to meet the emergenoy, would call for tenders and let contracts as soon as possible, and also contemplated proceeding with work which it had not previously been intended to carry out. Other members of the committee pointed out that the Board met fortnightly, and the case of the unemployed was urgent, many families actually being in want. Mr Duncan remarked that the position of the Board was peculiar and highly responsible, inasmuch as a good deal of the work they had to carry out absolutely demanded skilled labor. They were not in the position of a road Board which simply had roads to make. It was pointed out by one of the deputation that among the class they represented all trades were included. Mr Bell said the Colombo road sewer could be commenced by day work at once. Mr Duncan said it might be stated that some large works would be commenced by the Board in the course of two or three weeks. The Chairman stated that the Colombo road sewer might be commenced almost immediately. Mr Duncan said it would be as well the deputation should understand that the Drainage Board worked on the principle of giving the highest rate of wages, and always expected to receive in return the beat class of workmanship. Mr Harman suggested that the matter should now be left in this way—the deputation understanding that the Board would do what they could, and as soon as Mr Bell was prepared a communication should be sent to the committee, stating tnat the foreman was prepared to receive applications from married men.

The deputation then thanked the committee and withdrew.

It was understood that Mr Bell would push on the work in Colombo street North as soon as possible. The report of the engineer was read as follows:

1. Tenders will he submitted for clearing the rivers Avon and Heathcote for three years; also, for excavating pipe trench at St. Alban's lane.

2. The men who have the excavation of pipe trenches at piece work hare given it np, on account of the expense and difficulties encountered in quicksand and water. If the Board do not wish similar arrangements to be continued the work must be done by day work, or let by public tender. I anticipate some difficulty in the latter from the impossibility of finding ont before hand the nature of the ground, and the nnforeseen expenses and delays occasioned when the heavy springs and quicksands are found in the excavations. Tn one of the trenches let by piece work it has taken more than a week to direct a heavy spring into the stormwater sewer in Salisbury street. 3. Drawings 'and sections are being made for the pipe sewer np Colombo road to St. Alban's, and I propose to let the excavations by tender when these are ready. 4. If the Board approves of it I shall at once advertise for tenders to construct a storm water sewer up the Gasworks road as far as the Pound road, for which detail drawings are nearly completed. Mr Clarke's original provision for this was to re-construct the old stone drain ; I find, however, that this is in a rninoas condition, and would not recommend any attempt to make use of it; of course a new sewer will cost more than was estimated to repair the old drain. 5. The drawings are being prepared, but are not finished for a storm overflow down Madras street. Great painß and consideration must be given to those plans to avoid intersecting the sewage sewers that are to be subsequently laid down, and as both are at nearly the same depths, many of the latter require to have their levels changed and special drawings made when the two cross each other.. 6. I submit a letter from the resident engineer for railways, asking the Board to proceed with the work of deepening tLe park drain from the Addington workshops, and agreeing to repay to the Board the estimated cost as furnished by me. 7. I submit a report from Mr C. W. Turner, offering to supply the Board with 1400 4-inch pipes at the reduced price 14id per pipe, the contract price being 16£d; also, 3600 16-inch pipes at 22Jd per pipe (of 3 feet long), the cost to purchase the same here being about 30d per pipe of 3 feet, but in quantities they would perhaps cost less. These pipes will probably be wanted during the time when house connections are being made, though they may have to lie on hand for a long time 8. I have examined the section of land, No. 7469, at the Sandhills, offered for sale to the Board. The land is of very little intrinsic

sandy meadow land. There ia a small house on it, and the section is surrounded by hedges. The position of the section might be nseful to the Board as giving good occeßH to the Sandhills, and would shorten the length of pipe required to reach the irrigation area. 9. After great labor and expense, I have been obliged to give up pnmping at Matheson's road as a means of building the walls and bottom of the sewer tank. I find it is impossible to stop the blowing up of the quicksand, below 16ft. _ or 18ft. I mentioned the probability of this difficulty to Mr Clark before he left, but he was of opinion that by pumping long enough the ground would be dried all round, sufficiently to allow of the tank being built. The depth of this tank is about 24ft. to the bottom of the foundation, as designed by him, and I find that at such a depth the sand blows upwards with great violence, but is so dense and compact that pumping has scarcely any effect, even a short distance off. I have taken numerous borings to see if a better site could be found, but without success, and nnless the Board wish to let the work of putting down this tank and building the outfall sewer by public tender I can only suggest the expedient of sinking the walls through the sand and water by dredging out: the sand from the inside, and after it is sufficiently sunk to plug the bottom with concrete, carried down through the water. The great diameter of this tank, 30ft., makes this work exceedingly difficult under such circumstances, and there is the possibility of not being able to get the bottom quite watertight. All the rest of the work depends on this, and I would not recommend proceeding with the main Bewer until the sewer tank is built. This work will be expensive, and I should wish to receive the instructions of the Board as letting the work or carrying it on by day work. C. Napieb Bell, Engineer. In connection with the first item ofthe report, tenders were opened for clearing the rivers Avon and Heathoote for three years. That of Mr Hugh Butler was acoepted, conditionally upon his being able to find securities. Tenders were also opened for excavating pipe trench at St. Alban's lane. Wheeler and Co's tender for this work was acoepted. With reference to clause 4, Mr Duncan proposed that the work should be authorised, that tenders be called for at once, and that the chairman in conjunction with the works committee) be empowered to deal with them, the object being to avoid delay in letting the contraot. The proposition was adopted. On the motion of Mr Harman, it was resolved that the drain mentioned in clause 5 be carried as far up through Sydenham as can be feasibly done. The letter referred to by the engineer as received from the resident engineer for railways was read. Mr Brown moved, Mr Hall seconded, and it was oarried—"That the proposal of the railway authorities be accepted." Mr Brown proposed that Mr Turner's offer be accepted. Mr Duncan thought that the most desirable plan was to apply for materials as they required them, and not aocept any offer that might be made. Mr Brown withdrew his motion. With reference to the sewer tank construction, and the difficulties attending its construction, Mr Bell explained by means of a rough sketch the action he proposed to adopt. Mr Harman moved—" That the engineer be requested to take further borings in the neighborhood of the line of the outfall drain, with the view of seeing if a better bottom can be obtained, and report to next meeting." With reference to the purohase of the section on the sand hills, it was resolved to reply that the Board were not at present in a position to accept the proposal. A deputation of residents at St. Alban's waited on the Board in reference to the stoppage of a drain in the neighborhood of Toom's road. Mr Bell was under the impression that the drain in question was inoluded in a contract held by a person who had to olean all the Avon drain. If so, all that could be done was to instruct him to push on with it. The deputation were informed that the drain would be cleaned out at once, and the engineer was requested to report upon the extension of the drain along the chain road at right angles to Toom's road. The correspondence since last meeting was then read, relating to works of a minor character required to be done in various localities, the matters being chiefly referred to the engineer. Mr Taafe's letter for compensation re his section was the last on the list, and it was resolved to write Mr Taafe, renewing the offer formerly made to him. After some discussion, It was resolved—" That the engineer be requested to draw up a schednle of prices for connections, and arrange with some oompetent person to perform the work," The Board then adjourned,