Drainage through Private Properties.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXII, Issue 42747, 13 July 1905, Page 2

Drainage through Private Properties.

SHOULD THE COUNCIL PAY HALF COSTS? At a sppcial meeting of the above Borough Council held last evening, at which the whole of the Councillors were present, the Mayor (A. J, Farmer. Esq) in the chair, the above question was discussed at some length. The discussion was the outcome of a letter received from Dr Kenny, Messrs Mackie and Dudley. JohnL. AlleD and William Hetherington, as follows: —

We, the undersigned. Ratepayers, Property-owners, and Residents, interested respectfully beg to draw your attention to an intolerable nuisance that has long been allowed to exist, in the form of a foul sewer carrying filthy and putrid matter past our very doors. The section of drain more particulaily affecting us, is in Block 19, and runs through Secs, 4,5, 7 and 8. The drain is a natural water-course, and doubtless, at one time, was legHmatelv cu?ed in carrying off the comparatively lean surface water, and so, to that extent, was unobjectionable. With the progress of the town, and the advent of increased buildings i i the neighbourhood, the previous comparatively harmless drain, has become nothing more or less than an open sewer, as can be proved by the fact that urinals (to quote only one instance) drain into it, to say nothing of the house slops and drainage, from all adjoining buildings (and a stable) above Lipsey Street. The consequences is, that by the time this liquid filth reaohes our sections, which it does in a slow, and sluggish stream, it is a seething mass of corruption, and is consequently a direct and absolute meuace to the health of those who live in its immediate proximity. In addition to these vary protent reasons for remedying the evil there is the fac\ which must be very evident to your Council, that, for a health re sort like Te Aroha, the second Spa in New Zealand, to permit the existeuce of such a plague spot, which meets the eye of visitors, as soon as they leave the train, is anything but desirable, apt to disgust the more susceptible, ,nd tends to strongly prejudice unfavourably, their first impressions of Te Aroha. We feel confident that had it lain in the power of the Council to have sooner abolished this public nuisance, such would have been done long ago. But in the absence of something like a drainage system, the remedy was obviously beyond the Council's means. However, now that a commencement has beeo made with a main sewei down Bridge St. the difficulty confronting previous Councils, has been greatly obviated, if not practically removed, and we consider this a most opportune time to approach your Council with the request that the contents of this drain be led into the main sewer.

We would respectfully suggest, that instead of using socket pipes, you lay large field tiles say, 9in, a layer of stone above them, a little ti-tree. and then the filling in 1 This method would secure the double purpose of currying away the sewage matter, and also the surface drainage coming from the natural water-shed, and the railway bank, towards our property. This, however, is merely by way of suggestion. We fear ihat if socket pipes are used and the drain filled in. a small lagoon of stagnant water could collect in the triangular space between our properties and the railway, and so, in process of time, a further sourse of danger would be created. In ovde to render your Council all reasonable assistance in the immediate carrying out *of this important work, we, Geo Kenny, Wm. Hothering, and Wm. Mnc'iio, hereby offer col loctively. to pay half the cost of the titles used in the drain 1 We respectively press for immediate consideration of our request on the grounds (T; that wo are so situated hat we got tho concentrated quintessence of ell the sewage matter from the Uglier love’s, and (2) tint just now, while the street is opened up foi rho main sewer a most favourable opportunity occurs for making the connection.

Compliance with our request would socuro tho removal of an oyo-soro, and what is still umro imp.utunt. n vorv present source of danger to public health. Commending our request to favour*. nbl» consideration. Cr O’Monghor said ho visited the place roforrcxl to last Thursday, anti ho considered something should he done to improve the present unsatisfactory atato of affairs before tho summer sets in. Tho drain from tho railway station across tho swamp was full of weeds and water-cress,

Cr Hothonugton said it was a wellknown fact that the drain has been a ho urue of trouble for a long time past, Tho various councils have done more or loss towards remedying the evil, but it was still very unsatisfactory. The Mayor said that the sewer pipes when put down in Wewi street, would cut off the top drainage, and then the whole trouble would be a thing of the past. 1 was the duty of the Railway |), pirm mt to guard against defiling the neighbourhood In the way they were doing at present, He did not consider it any part of the Council's hua’mesrt to drain private nronevty, Or Thomas said the depth of the swamp would m.t allow of It being piped as suggested by the petitioners, The Mayor said the late Ikmmgli surfaceman considered it would toko 10 feet to get n solid bottom to tho swamp. Or Itowo said tho Council should cortalnly do smoothing. Perhaps tho adjacent property owners would pny hair.

Tho Mayor said it was not tho Council's duty to take charge of foreign matter. Tho wntoi would find an outlet in tho drain in Bridge-street. Cr Hothovington : That would only bo taking it away from ono part and putting; it in another.

The Mayor said he realized that the Council were offending to a certain extent. He contended that the. railway authorities should pay a third of the cost, and the owners interested and the Council a third each. Cr Devey said the water, slops, etc., from the railwa3 r houses went into the swamp. They were the chief offenders. Mr Rowe proposed and Or O’Meagher seconded, that the railway authorities, property owners and Council pay a third each of cost of the work. Cr Wallis said that while acknowledging the duty of the Council to guard the public health, he did not believe in relieving private purses out of the public funds. He believed they were right in agreeing to pay a third, but the cost of the work should first be asceitained.

Cr Rowe said it was not right for them to put County drainage on to private property and leave it there. The Mayor said if it was the natural watercourse they could do it by law, but he did not think it politic to so act. Cr Thomas said he thought the resolution equitable, and he would support it. Cr Wallis moved as an amendment, that the letter be acknowledged and the cost of drainage ascertained, and if satisfied with the price the Council pay a third. To pay a third without first ascertaining the cost was uubusi nesßlike. Cr Hetherington seconded-tlie amendment. On being put only the mover and seconder voted for the amendment, and the resolution was carried It was agreed on the voices that the approximate cost of the work be ascertained.