COX'S CREEK DRAINAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 69, 22 March 1910, Page 9

COX'S CREEK DRAINAGE.

.HEALTH O.FICER'S REPORT.

The question of dealing with sewage at Cox's Creek so as to do away with the nuisance at present existing, was again referred to at the meeting of the Grey" Lynn Borough Council last evening. A letter was first read from the Town Clerk, Auckland, stating that as the doctors attended the conference at Cox's Creek, at the request of the Grey Lynn •Borough Council, any written reports that may have been given by them, would be furnished to the Borough Council; the City Council had no knowledge whatever of any such reports. The Mayor (Mr. W. J. Holdsworth) 6aid he thought no such reports existed, and that was the reason he moved that _ City Council be asked for them. How Mr. Bush could stand on the floor at the City Council, and state that both the doctors hid reported adversely upon Mr. Wilson's scheme, he could not under- ——

The letter was received, and* the fol- 1 lowing letter was read from Dr. Mak- ■ gill (District Health Officer) re Cox's " Creek drainage: that he had visited the place with the Borough Engineer, and had also seen Mr. Bush, who seemed to be alive to the necessity for improvement. Dr. _■__gill considered the suggested system of dealing with storm '. water and sewage channels as of great value from the point of view of subsequent reclamations. It would also to ' some extent mitigate the nuisance by guiding the sewage out of the flats beyond the bridge. Dr. Makgill also pointed out that the completion of the various sewers to the margin of the lagoon would greatly improve the valleys down which the sewage at present ran in open channels. As to the wooden flumes, the Health Officer expressed the opinion that the smell from th**** sewage ' would be offensive, since the matter would not be —luted by sea water. Channels for storm water must always be provided through the reclamation. He considered it might be well to approach the City Council to obtain the funds for a share of the storm water channelling for which it was responsible, and proceed thereafter to construct the channels planned by Mr. Wilson, and start reclamation at the upper end of the lagoon. The channelling at the upper end of the lagoon should be of a permanent nature. When the permanent intercepting sewer came along, the temporary connections could be converted into temporary storm water overflow. He was convinced no temporary measures would be of much value in improving the sanitary conditions of the area. He ■therefore advocated that any work done should be either permanent, or the preliminary stage of a permanent scheme. In the latter category he placed Mr. Wilson's scheme of channelling, "for the wooden walls could be replaced by covered brick work, as opportunity offered. Mr. Thompson said Mr. Bush had pointed out that there were 650 acres of Grey Lynn draining into Cox's Creek intake, and only 375 in the city. He wished to point out that if Grey Lynn had 35 per cent more area the city contributed 50 per cent more sewage. The Health Officer's letter was referred to the Council in committee.