IN ROCKY GROUND.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 59, 11 March 1930, Page 9

IN ROCKY GROUND.

MOUNT EDEN DRAINAGE. an Arduous task. TWO-THIRDS OF BOROUGH DONE. Drainage work covering practically two-thirds of the district has been completed by the Mount Eden Borough Council, the cost being about £310.000, and the remainder of the work will be completed according to the engineer & report, the additional cost being in nneighbourhood of £90,000, making a total of £400,000. Explaining the big task the borough had accomplished, in view of the rock} nature of the ground through which much of the sewers had to be excavated, ' the Mayor (Mr. E. H. Potter) said this morning that it would be necessary to raise a loan of some £90,000 to complete the job, which when finished would give the borough a really first-class system of sewer reticulation. The report of the borough engineer • (Mr. J. Rogers), which was read at last night's meeting of the council, stated: "Work under various sewerage contracts is progressing favourablyj the main work, that of- constructing the concrete trunk sewer from Balmoral Road to Kensington Avenue, is being executed under most arduous conditions, due to the °reat volume of subsoil water to» be contended with, and the difficult nature of the rock excavation. "I have given directions for the construction of a branch sewer to Cannon Avenue, where surface _ water cesspits will be provided and which will prevent flooding of private property during intense rainfall. "Plan has been completed for the extension of the trunk sewer f l 01 j> 1 Kensington Avenue to Peary Roacl, where the requisite connection will be effected to the existing sewer near the cave. This section of the work is pro- ■ vided for in the supplementary loan of £10,000 at present uiider consideration of the Loans Board. Tenders, for this section may be invited when such funds • are available. . "I have duly taken into consideration extension of the sewerage scheme to a.* to embrace the whole of the southern : zone of the borough, and have delineated the trunk sewers and the reticulation svstem on plan, a copy of which may, if essential, be given to each niembei of vour council. The scheme lias been caiefully considered and computed, and is approximately estimated at a total expenditure of £90,961 17/7, including an amount of £5235 liabilities to Mount Albert Borough Council and the Auckland Drainage Board for work already executed and now in progress. '"In connection with this proposal, I respectfully suggest that a loan proposal of £90,000 be submitted to the ratepayers for endorsement, this amount covering prospective liabilities for • assistance to ratepayers in making their drainage connections. "This area of the borough, now under review, is tlie most costly to sewer, : owing to its rugged conditions, irregular ■ contours and the solidness of the rocic to he- excavated. The council's policy of executing the work in short sections has been thoroughly justified from the 1 fact that keenly contested tenders have resulted in most economical execution of the Work and the continuation of this ' policy is advisable, so as to ensure due economy in the construction of the work ■and safeguarding the ratepayers' inter- ' report will be considered by the council at a special meeting next Monday night.