SUBURBAN DRAINAGE

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 131, 24 August 1927, Page 13

SUBURBAN DRAINAGE

MOUNT ROSKILL DIFFICULTIES Objection to the attitude adopted by the Auckland Suburban Drainage Board in connection with the proposed amalgamated drainage works, in which Mount Eden, Mount Albert and Mount Roskill are all interested, was taken at last evening’s meeting of the Mount Roskill Road Board. Jn his report upon the present position of the drainage scheme with Mount Albert and Mount Eden, the engineer, Mr. J. D. Whitmore, intimated that a further delay was now probable. Mr. L. A. Tozer complained that, in the lace of the position assumed by the drainage board Mount Roskill could do nothing, and no satisfaction could be obtained unless they sought the pressure of public opinion arid forced the business forward. He cited the pitiable case of Edendale, where residents were putting in sacks of lime to stifle the evil effects of sludge. Some of the drainage board officials would not stir unless they were attacked with a sledge-hammer. There should be concentration of efforts by the Press, the public and local bodies, to force definite action. Mr. A. S. Belcher said the present unsatisfactory standstill was one of the penalties involved in the fact that the drainage board was practically the Auckland City Council. As long as the drainage board was constituted as at present they would not care a hang what was required by other local bodies. It was finally decided to consider the pursuit of an independent course and to obtain estimates of the cost of draining the Mount Roskill portion of the area concerned, and then submit a loan proposal to the ratepayers.