SEWAGE AND SALT WATER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5045, 25 May 1877, Page 3

SEWAGE AND SALT WATER.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Siii, —In an article winch appeared in your issue of Tuesday last reference is made to a proposal to put the sewage into the bay. Cue or two speakers at the late meeting, who were possessed of an inordinate share of volubility, and an unusually slender knowledge of the subject they were discussing, strougiy advocated the adoption of this course; that is, if their wordy utterances had any meaning at all, that is what they meant. The minds of those gentlemen appear to have been rather hazy, and it is no wonder that they failed to convey a distinct idea to the understandings of their hearers. The remarks that fell from Mr. Brown were of a very different character ; he had evidently paid some attention to the subject, and consequently he expressed himself clearly and to the point. It was stated by one of the speakers, on no less an authority than Captain Holliday, “that there are no currents in the harbor.” If this be so, then the experiment of turning the sewage into tile bay would be a most dangerous and expensive one. Dangerous, because experience has shown that wherever this course has heeu adopted the most serious resalts have ensued. In this case the sewage would simply be worked to and fro by the ebb and flow of the tide, but would remain permanently in the hay. Expensive, because at no distant period the whole work would have to be done denovo, and at an enormous increase on the original expenditure. Even where the sewage of towns has been discharged into ocean currents, tiie same results have followed. Ou this subject Dr. Letheby, in a report ou the drainage of London, says :—“Now experience has shown that wherever putrifjing organic matter comes into contact with soluble sulphates, it decomposes them, and causes the evolution of sulphuretted hydrogen (one of the most potent poisous known). In hot climates, as on the coast of Africa, when the water of the rivers, highly charged with organic matter, mixes with sea-water, which contains sulphuric acid, the same decomposition takes place, extending sometimes to a distance of 27 miles out to sea.” And according to Dr. Daniels and ’ other g-eat authorities ; “ The miasma which is thus produced is the cause of the malignant fevers which are common to the African coast,” “ The same miasma is produced even upon our own coast (England), when saltwater mixes with fresh water charged with putrifying organic matter ; and this accounts tor the almost intolerable nuisance which is experienced wherever the sewage of towns is discharged into the sea." This being the opinion of the high authorities above mentioned, and others who might be named, I am convinced that Mr. Climie’s scheme is the only safe one. And I hope the citizens will combine, on tiie 28th inet., to vote for its adoption. —I am, &c., A Katei-ateh.