DRAINAGE OF GERALDINE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1161, 16 October 1883, Page 3

DRAINAGE OF GERALDINE.

TO THE EDITOR Sir, —1 gathsi from your issue of the 13th that nothing is to be done in draining the town because the ratepayers will not, or have not, stated what they want done, and have not of themselves called a public meeting to consider what is best to be done. Now, it strikes me the boot is on the wrong leg altogether. It is not the ratepayers who are best able to judge what is best to be done, as they don't know. It is rather the duty of the local body, the Board of Health, to get the best professional advice as what is best to be done. No member of the Road Board, or of any public body, could possibly say what is best—it is only a man that has made it his lifelong study—and there is no bettei man in our midst whom the local body could consult than Mr Napier Bell, C.E., of Christchurch. Take for instance, Christchurch. The ratepayers there knew the city required draining, but how to set about it was beyond them individually, but as a collective bsdy, in the persons of a public body, they could see that nothing but the best pro- j fessional advice was of use, That advice was obtained, and Mr Napier Bell has successfully carried it out. Now, what would be the expense of getting Mr N. Bell to come down one day, inspect the town of Geraldine and return the next, and send in a plan ? Probably he would say he would not advise a regular system of drainage, but simply to drain the town of surface water, and to have only earth closets used with a pan and emptied by a scavenger three times a week, have all pigs removed from the town, have the drain at the back of certain premises well cleaned out and filled up with clay, and all Blops thrown into a tub and then emptied by the scavenger. If this is done probably well water may in time be drank without doing any injury. At present Dr Fish, the medical officer, has reported over and o\er again that something should be done with respect to the drainage, as he fears a serious epidemic may break out any moment. The Board of Health, I hope, will not delay any longer in doing something because the ratepayers will not of themselves say what they want, Ii is for the Board of Health to say through their Engineer what is required. As a ratepayer, if I want a road made and if asked how it was to be done I could not say, the Road Board through their Engineer say how it has to be done. The same can apply to the drainage of the town of Geraldine. —I am etc., C, G. Tripp, Orari Gorge, loth October, 1883.