DRAINAGE BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1816, 16 December 1879, Page 3

DRAINAGE BOARD.

The ordinary meeting of tho Christchurcb. District Drainage Board was held yesterday afternoon. Present—Messrs Tancred (chairman), Harman, Duncan, Hall, Blakißton, Ross, Brown. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. A deputation, representing residents on Jackson's Creek, waited on the Board in support of a petition, which urged the Board to take immediate steps to remedy the Btate of things disclosed in the health officer's report on Jackson's Creek. The petition was signed by eighty-five residents in the locality named. Mr Harman stated that notices had been served upon householders to refrain frora emptying certain household refuse into the creek. The deputation were informed that the Board would consider the matter further, and reply. Mr Nicholl waited upon the Board on the same subject, with special reference to his own section on low lying land, where the smell from the creek was very offensive. Mr Brown moved—" That the whole question be referred to the works committee for them to settle as promptly as possible." The motion was carried. A deputation from the City Council— Messrs Vincent, Gapes, King and England—waited upon the Board in reference to the drain on the Lincoln road, and requested to know what action the Board contemplated taking in connection therewith. In reply to Mr Hall, the deputation remarked that tho Council were of opinion it would be advisable to fill up the drain in question if possible. Mr Harman suggested that as the Board were now acquainted with the wishes of the deputation, the matter should be referred to the engineer to roport. The deputation then thanked tho Board, and withdrew, it being understood that the question was to be referred to the engineer. A letter was received from Mr W. Wilson, offering to convey a strip of land to the Board for drainage purposes. Mr Brown reported what steps he had taken in reference to Free's creek, he having been deputed to see if it was possible to get a certain amount of land with a view of putting in a covered drain. Most of the property holders were favorable to the proposition made, in order to do away with the open drain, but ono person held out in opposition. On the motion of Mr Duncan, it was resolved that a covered drain be made from Merivale lane to the swamp, and that Mr Brown and the engineer be deputed to negotiate with the owners. engineer's befokt. 1. Mr J. Manning of tho Harewood road, has again preferred a request which he made to the Board in 1877, to clear and maintain a drain through his land, rural Bection 226, on the ground that an old water course which formerly served to drain hia land has been filled up by his neighbors. It is many years since the old water course has been ploughed over and obliterated, but his land is now drained by a ditch along his boundary to a deep drain on the Sawyers' Arms road, which tha Board maintains. Mr Manning's section extends from Barewood road to Sawyerß* Arms road, so that the drain maintained by the Board is on his own frontage, but he claims that the Board should maintain his private drain for the reasons mentioned above.

2. I submit a letter from the resident engineer of the railway on the Bubject of lowering the culvert under the railway at Jackson's creek. He thinks the cost of doing so would be about .£BO. The section of land, rural section 48, which is to be drained by this means can be drained best into the Ferry road Bewer by fifteen chains of a 15 inch pipe, at a cost of about £3OO, but I don't think it would be advisable to lay down this pipe until the locality is more settled and the roads permanently formed and metalled, and until then the open creek would be more serviceable for the purpose. 3. The Sydenham Borough Council would not undertake to fill up the old stone drain on the Gas Works road. I have therefore been obliged to give the work to the contractor for the storm water sewer, because the water from the old drain was continually bursting into his trench and flooding the new work; what stone he can get out, which is about half the quantity, is to belong to him. 4 Pipe laying north of the river is nearly stopped for want of 9in. pipes, which the contractor has not supplied at the rate mentioned in his tender. 5. The 18in. pipes are completed which the Board ordered to be laid in Free's creek. 6. A large flushing man-hole has been completed at intersection of Holly road and Colombo road North, over a spring of pure artesian water, delivering about 800 gallons per minute, which can be used for flushing pipes or for the use of fire engines. 7. Pipe laying is being carried out in the Crescent road, but the upper part has so many large trees along it that I think it would be unsafe to lay the pipes until they are cut down, as their root 3 will be very likely to grow under the pipe 3 and lift them up, thu3 breaking the joints. The roots, also, are apt to find oat the most minnte hole accidentally left in the mortar of the joints, and, growing inside, will eventually fill up the pipe. In such extremely narrow roads as the Crescent road, the trees ought to be cat down, if only for the safety of the pipes. Until the line of pipes in the Crescent road is laid down to St. Albans lane, the former cannot be flushed properly, as all the pipes in St. Albans are intended to be flushed by St. Albans creek being turned into them. 8. The storm water sewer in the Gas Works road is nearly finished ; that in Madra3 street is making good progress on a firm bottom of shingle. The drain through the Park is nearly completed, with the exception of rebuilding the culvert. The Selwyn County Council have asked the Board to rebuild this to the fall length of 66ft., the present length being 26ft. I shall therefore direct the contractor to rebuild the culvert under the West Belt CGft. long.

C. Napier Bell, Kngineer. The various clauses of the above report were conai&eTedlseriatim. With reference to Mr Manning's request, it was resolved to reply that the Board were only in a position to maintain arterial lines of drainage, and therefore regretted they could not comply with his request. With regard to clause 2, Mr Harman moved, Mr Duncan seconded, and it was carried—" That the engineer be authorised to arrange with the railway engineer for lowering the railway culvert." The letter of Mr Nicholl was again brought forward here, and the Board resolved—- " That a copy oi Mr Wilson's letter be sent to Mr Nicholl, and say that the Board is willing to cut a drain along tho new course, and abandon Jackson's Creek, as soon as tho residents can make the necessary arrangements for conveying the land to the Board, and that the Board is willing to bear the legal expenses." The other clauses of the report were then proceeded with, the next following being that in reference to the old stone drain in Jackson's Creek, and the engineer's action was approved of. With reference to pipe laying in Crescent road, it was resolved, after some consideration, that in. view of the necessities of the case, the work should be proceeded with, the engineer to use means he considered best adapted for keeping the roots of trees out of the drain.

The engineer producod tho terms of contract for supplying Din. pipes. On the motion of Mr Harman, it was decided that the engineer be requested to act on the advice of tho solicitor as to tho nonfulfilment of the contract. The correspondence since last meeting was then laid before the Board. A letter was received from the Christchurch City Council, in reference to tho percentage on the collection of rates, and it was postponed till next meeting of the Board. From the Kiecarton Road Board, enclosing a petition from residents and landowners, praying for the cleaning out of drains within that district. With reference to a letter from Mr J. Pearson, contractor under the Board, it was resolved that ho be iuformed that tho work must be continued or their contract would be cancelled, tho matter to be left to Mr Bell to decide. From J. Emerson, applying for a license to connect drains with Bewers. Held over for future consideration. From Rev. E. A. Lingard, drawing attention to the obstruction of tho river course by weeds, which put a atop to aquatic pursuits. It was decided to seo that the contract for clearing the river was carried out according to specification. A letter was read from Mr E. Richardson, explaining tho action ho had taken in reference to tho Drainage Amendment Bill, which he had been unable to proceed with owing to tho late period of the session at which it was introduced. Mr J. B. Ellraan wroto in reference to a dam in St. Albans Creek, and tho Board resolved to order its immediate removal. Tho following accounts wore passed : Rate account, £341 I3s 3d; loan account, £2558 12s 2d. Resolved—" That tho Board at its rising do adjourn for four weeks, and that the engineer be referred to the works committee for anything he might require during that time." The Board then adjourned.