AN UNSAVORY STREAM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 272, 21 April 1914, Page 8

AN UNSAVORY STREAM.

DOGS, CATS AND EATS.

mil - i;si-:u diversion op tmk .MANIJAOTUKU.

There .is, according to the Mayer, a .stream in Sew Plymouth in whita dogi and eat.-', despite the gontlo a»«sities in which they passed their lives, are united in death and lie down together like the lion and the lamb of Htblieal origin."

At last night's meeting- of the Borough Council, the enginer wrote that before proceeding with thu erection «i the Outfield road culvert Oic would like the opinion of the Council on the advisability of diverting the Mangaotuku stream to the sea ■ near Kingswell street. At present the streaa was largely used for drowning snrnll aaimals, which were left in it to putrify, and refuse of various descriptions found its way into it. He was certain that tha time would come in the near future wihon the diversion would have to be made, or the stream enclosed in concrete. The storm water of tie western portion of the town could b« carried by an 18in concrete pipe, wkick would have to be laid from the Outfield road to the Huatoki stream, and the Maagaotuku stream bed filled in where fools were left. This filling in should be paid for by the owners of tha Tariaus properties through which the stream iowed, as it would give them additional land. From Outfield road the stem water should be taken westward (a the stream diversion. By making thin diversion the coat of erecting Outfield load and Brougham street culverts, auMaiinf approximately to£2ooo, would be eaved, as also the cost of Mt. Edgecombe street and Weymouth street culverts, jrobably another £IOOO. The diversio* would he eighteen to twenty chains in length, fifteen chains being a tunnel »f 4ft to 1 Bft diameter, which would require to be concreted throughout. | The .Mayor said that the diverison of the stream had been unsuccessfully mooted several years ago. Tie time had come when in the interest of public health it should ibe done. ; Oats and dogs were to be seen floating ia it; rats were plentiful, and he understood that the bed of the stream bad become raised by some three or lour ieet. It was a menace to the town, and be was afraid it was one of the causes of the recent outbreak of disease. He had been informed that the school efaildren bathed in it, and it was a wonder there had not been more typhoid cases. The diversion would delay the completion of the Cutfield road culvert somewbat, but a portion of this could be completed. Or. Sykes stated that parts ol the stream were most picturesque, aid eould be turned to good advantage, Is for the cats and dogs, people always drowned them in rivers unless they wore stopped. It was a case for prevention. On the motion of Or. Johnfttone, it was decided to get the borough solicitors' opinion as to the legal position of the Council in the matter and tie engineer's estimate as to the cost M the work.