CHRISTCHURCH DISTRICT DRAINAGE BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1908, 6 April 1880, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH DISTRICT DRAINAGE BOARD.

The ordinary meeting of this Board was held yesterday afternoon. Present —The Chairman (Mr Harman), and Messrs. Duncan, Tanered and Ross. A letter whs road from Mr O. R. Blakiston, to the effect that he was unable to attend the meeting of the Board, in consequence of being summoned to attend the grand jury. Mr Duncan also apologised for the unavoidable absence, for the same reason, of Mr Hobbs The Engineer’s report was then read as follows : I'Refoi-ring again to MrDolman's request for compensation for land taken from him to widen St. Alban’s Creek at Knightstown, 1 find it im-

possible to define exactly the position which the creek originally occupied. The plan submitted herewith shows the position of the creek at present, and approximately the position when the 1.-.ud was originally bought, from which it appears that it has in the course of time been entirely diverted into Mr Column's section, whereas the original bank was formerly his boundary. Originally the creek had a width assigned to it of 40 links, but now it has only 15. The claim Mr Coleman makes is, however, only for a strip of land taken off his section when the creek was deepened, now being taken from the other side on account of the largo trees growing on the bank. Mr Coleman protested at the time against the widening being made entirely on his side, bnt his protest was disregarded on account of the expense of removing the trees, and the probability of litigation arising from doing so. The extent of land taken from him amounts to 0.01.8 acre, or one and a half hundredths of an acre. (2) In the regard to the request from the Avon Road Board that the part of the deep drain on the North Canal Reserve should bo filled in from Dudley Creek to No. 1 drain, on which 1 was instructed to report, I find that there is no reason for this not being done, provided small side drains were made on the road. The No. 1 drain now takes all the water to the Horseshoe Lake which the deep drain was intended to convey to Dudley Creek. The small drains mentioned above should fall towards No. 1 drain. (3) X have had a section taken at Morden’s road, Woolston, and find that it would be considerably cheaper to cat down the road and side ditches to a gradient of about I in 250, so as to take the water from Kerry road into the river. Besides smaller first cost, this plan would have the advantage of not requiring so much attention afterwards. (4) The contractor for the pumping tank and sowers has commenced work, and has delivered some material on the ground. (5) The Madras street srwer is making fair progress. (G) The old sewer in South belt has now been cleaned out, and over forty cartloads of sand taken from it. It has also been repaired in several places. A quautit/ of sand has been taken out of the Ferry road sower, which came from the pumping at the new gasfe a cler at the gas works. (7) Referring to Mr Wood’s complaint as to the filling in of the Wairnrapa river, I have had sections taken, bat they are not yet sufficiently complete to enable me to report.

It was resolved to pay Mr Oolcman the sum of £lO as compensation for land taken. Permission was given to the Avon Road Board to fill in the drain, conditionally on that Board forming the small side drains. The Board resolved to send a copy of clause 3 to the Heathcote Road Board. Clause 4 was referred to the works committee. The report was then approved. The engineer reported that the levels wore not yet completed for the proposed diversion asked for on sections 1192 and 1118.

The correspondence since last meeting was then read. Among the letters received were the following :—From the Sydenham Borough Council, stating the opinion of the Council as to the drainage of the greater part of Sydenham ; that the cheapest and best means o doing so is by constructing a sewer in the bed of Jackson’s Creek, the outflow therefrom to enter the sewer now laid in the Gasworks road. This letter was referred to the engineer to report. From the Rev. R. O. Anderson, calling the attention of the Board to the bad state of the drains in Phillips’ road. This letter had been received through the Heathcots Road Board, and it was resolved to refer the letter back to that Board, as the proper body to deal with the matter.

The following accounts were passed:— Loan account, £2463 9s lOd; rate account £6220 18s 9d.

Tenders wore opened for Smith’s road, sewer, and that of Mortimer and Co. was accepted. Some routine business, of no general public interest, having been disposed of, the Board then adjourned.