DRAINAGE OF AUCKLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 29 January 1908, Page 15

DRAINAGE OF AUCKLAND.

MR MIDGLEY TAYT.OR INTER-

VIEWED.

GREATEE AUCKLAND MOVEMENT. (FaOM OtOl Owk; COHBBSPbKDINTj) • AUCKLAND, -January 21. In & voluminous report' upon the drainage of 'Auckland and ' siiburte Mr" Midgley Taylor,^ the English^ _enginjaer," .> entirely favours a. sea with the pdint of dischaijg© a* 'OrakeL ' A conference 'of delegates from all the" local bodies interested is to be feeld next Monday to consider the xeporfc, ' '. t \ - • , - -'^The'sea, 1 ' said Mr tTayloi' ' in answer to "an' dnterviewer, "may- be likened to 'a natural bacteria bed on .a sealp 4 of such vast immensity that any human effort at creating BJ3- artificial" means of purification pales into insignificance beside it."

Mr Taylor went on .to make this important statement: "I am sure, however," that m far as the future of Auckalnd is concerned the extension of the boundaries ranks "equal to, if, it does -not exceed in importance, the construction of a sound -drainage Boneine. If matters remain as they Are,' and the population ever reaches ,« quarter o£ a million ,, residents in areas ' governed by 14 different authorities," the whole district will be a conglomeration of uiJts, like 8 piece of patchwork. But it is , not too late, though at ,nray r soon be, to> unite the areas, so that they may grow as a iiarmoaious- -whale into a -city -which' can* take -its pjaee as one of the finest in the world. I can imagine nothing grander than the beauties with which Nature has en- ; dowed -this place. It would be a great pity to allow a, -oiir to grow up which would not do justice fco its auzxoundings." On the. question of a. union of "local j bodies— in other words, a Greater Auok- ; land-^th© Mayor (Mr A. M. Myers) said he sincerely trusted thai) the local bodies , woul4 of their own initiative recognise the ! importance of giving serious consideration : forth wSih to 'this aspect of "the question, as j there oould be little doubt that not only I should those various local bodies be united -into a Greater Auckland for the- purpose of effectively carrying 1 out a, coroprenensive ! drainage- scheme, iat -<also for other md ' various reasons. Amalgamation of the presont independent jocal 'bodies would roaks ' for greater, efficiency of administratioii and_ for greater financial strength. The suburban- districts -were needy entirely popa- ' lated with the overflow population of the ■ oity. The rapid progress the oity had made within the last few years should make . I every citizen who desired tiie best for the ( ' city urge and actively -support the idea of the formation of a Greater Auckland.

The Mayor was asked if he expected aji the surrounding local bodies *o throw -down the barriers and join for-ees for the common good, arid he replied tibot ne hoped the citizens- of Auckland rise to the occasion and prove themselves worthy of the heritage that was theirs, -and not allow the apathy that unfortunately existed on municipal questions to lull them to allow such a favourable opportunity — such a> unique opportunity — to pass-