TOWN DRAINAGE.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIII, Issue 1627, 22 October 1873, Page 2

TOWN DRAINAGE.

[to the editor] / Sir — I have already addressed you upon the subject of • the drainage of this town, which has appeared in a previous issue. Since then I have spoken to many upon this matter, and find no reason to alter in the least any portion of the state-, ments I then made. It appears the Borough Council, although embarrassed at present through want of funds, and will be so for many years to come, are about to experid L6OO or L7OO upor* piping for this purpose, which I stated would fail to answer, not having power to discharge itself at its furthermost extremity through want of fall and water pressure, and under present circumstances will prove no doubt a waste of money, and, a great nuisance to the" town. Until the last few days I understood these tubes were for the purpose of carrying off storm and house refuse waters only, but now I find it is intended to act as a sewer ; if this is the case, the importance of this matter has materially increased, and it will be the, duty of the Board of Health strictly to watch this. Greymouth has natural facilities for the removal of night soil, the tide, flowing and passing beneath our feet being the powerful agent. Should this .fail, in places where the under layers of gravel are not Sufficiently porous, night carts should be employed in the : removal of samej as is being done in all large towns and citi< s. Should pipes be employed, as at present proposed, and afterwards found riot to answer, it is not difficult to picture the result. Being filled with night soil^ they mustremain buried or be emptied, whenwe shall have rosemary times. Two questions should be answered— how. can the inhabitants avoid the effluvia on such occasions,! and by whom snould the sewers be opened and cleaned? Answer, to the .first — a picnic for a month ; lastly,, by those who supported the measure. ■ lam, .&a, - -I ' : Geo. Simmons.