WATER AND DRAINAGE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2604, 10 July 1923, Page 2

WATER AND DRAINAGE.

BY-LAWS.

“CRUDE AND OBSOLETE.” CRITICISM BY EXPERTS. At last night’s Council meeting the Public Health Officer (Mr HugKins) and Mr Roy plumber) were in attendance to discuss water and drainage by-laws. The Mayor said the Council recognised that they had to carry out the Healtli Department’s ins tractions in connection with water and drainage matters. Certain objections were made, however, to the Council’s by-laws in reference to water and drainage connections. It was said that they were drastic and ridicule was made of the vents sticking up in the air. “There was a danger of them blocking aerial traffic.” The object of asking Mr Huggins to be present was to ascertain if they could reduce the cost of private connections without interfering with the efficiency of the scheme. Any alteration would have to he recommended by Mr Huggins and backed up by the Health Department before anything could be done bv the Council.

Mr Potts, a licensed plumber, wrote making certain suggestions as to amendments to the by-laws.

In reply Mr Huggins said the alterations to clause 232 was reasonable. Two-inch terminal vents were too small and should be increased to 3-inch —a Wellington standard. A 3-inch, 24 guage galvanised iron vent would be cheaper than a 2-inch with Gft. of cast iron. The suggested alteration to clause 254 was reasonable. Re suggested alteration to clause 235, he suggested that this be allowed provided the fitting did not syphon.

Cr. Adams said that unless the pipes were of cast iron there was a danger of children damaging them. Air Roy then went into details and explained how a saving of £5 could be effected in connections, approximately speaking. He said Waipukurau, Ilutt, Gisborne, Petone, and Christchurch deleted buehan traps altogether from boundary connections. He said the local by-laws were very crude and obsolete. The Mayor said that, the Coun.cil’s by-laws were taken from the Health Department's model bylaws.

Air Huggins: Yes, some years ago. To save money you adopted the Alarton by-laws. That’s what most Councils do. Very few made by-laws of their own. He said that the Council had not asked the Health Department to approve tlieir by-laws. The Mayor: We asked you to delete any by-laws not necessary. Mr Huggins said that the Health Department was not asked to approve them. Cr. McMurray suggested leaving the whole matter in the hands of Air Huggins and Mr Roy. Cr. Smith said that they had made a mistake in not consulting the Health Department. The Mayor said that any concession that Avas to be made should he made to those Avho had shouldered the burden first and not the ones who connected up last. Mr Roy said that all experts were dead against buehan traps at boundaries. It was decided on the motion of Cr. McMurray, seconded by Cr. Adams that the Council, pending a revision of the drainage by-laws, lays it down as a principle, that the installation of buehan traps . and main vents be not made mandatory subject to Air Huggins' approval in each case, and that the Health Inspector and Mr Roy he asked to confer re amending by-laws and submit draft by-laws to (he next meeting. A vote of thanks was accorded Mr Huggins, who had journeyed from Palmerston North and the matter Avas dropped.