TOWN DRAINAGE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 76, 31 March 1871, Page 2

TOWN DRAINAGE.

To Tina Editor of the Nklson Evening Mail. Sir — Seeing that the Provincial Council is summoned to meet «gaio in the course of two or three weeks, I have been induced to look over the Votes and Proceedings of the last session, wherein I find that an Act. was passed empowering the Board of Works to raise a sum of £4000 by the issue of debentures ior the purpose of constructing certain works in connection with the. system of the draining of the town in Waimea, Nile, Hardy, and Bridge Streets, and, if I remember rightly, the measure was introduced in consequence of the pressure put upon the Board of Works to remove what was known as "the Hardy-street nuisance," with regard to which there was at that time a great outcry. ]N T ow. so fur as I know — and I pass through Hardy- street pretty often — the nuisance then complained of has in no degree lessened but still exists in full vigor, and yet no steps have been taken towards remedying it, although full powers were conferred on the Board by the Act referred to to raise the money and proceed with the works as speedilj' as possible. I often hear the question put, and indeed, I have myself frequently asked it, why nothing has been dove, during the nine or ten months that have elapsed since the passing of the Act, towards commencing the highly necessary works for which it provides, aud hitherto I have received no satisfactoryJhiswer, and therelore I appeal to you for information on a subject which is of much importance to the sanitary condition of the town. Legislation on""a matter of this kind is extremely etfsy, but, unless action is taken upon it, itseems to me to be worse than useless ,*6 pass laws which simply tend to swell the bulk of our Provincial Statute 1 Book and nothing more. If the Act is ' incomplete, the approaching session will i furnish an opportunity for supplying that [ which may be wanting, while, on the other hand, if the dehiy that has taken place arises from dilatoriuess or neglect on 1 the part of the Beard, it is as well that > the public should be fully informed of the j fact. Trusting that you will be able to enlighten us on this head, p I am, &c, A Ratepayer. „ Nelson, 27th March.