DIRTY GULLIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 103, 3 May 1929, Page 7

DIRTY GULLIES.

MENACE TO HEALTH. MOSQUITO-BREEDING PLACES UF.GENT ATTSITTIO" DEMMDSD. PROBLEM!? OF DRAINAGE.

'•Frequent complaints liave been received by the Health Department concerning the condition ot Arch Hiii •rally." said Dr. T. H. Hushes, medical officer of health, this morning:. "'This is nne of a number ot creek? in the citv into which stormvvater overflows are discharged from sewers during heavy rain." continued Dr. Hughes, "it is recognised that provisionary etora:u _ ater overflows are a necessity in ar\ combined sewage scheme. This C'.echar<re takes place only during excessive rainfall, and such sewage overflows are no doubt greatly diluted at time-. Nevertheless, these have been the cause of nuisances on different occasions. In 'drv -weather these creeks partially dry up and become a breeding-place for millions of mosquitoes. Last month billions of mosquito larvae teemed in the pools. The sullv runs through the City Council and the' Mount Albert Borough Council areas. Legally the ownera Ol the land through which a creek flows are individually responsible for keepins the waterway clean. The. Auckland and Suburban Drainage Board nave assisted by periodically cleaning the Arch Hill gully and other gullies. There is no doubt that these require urgent attention by being culverted in or concreted. Under One Control. "•'T am satisfied," said Dr. Hughes, "that the only ■ satisfactory method of dealing with these streams is by placing them under the control ot one autiioritv. and some months, ago I recommended to the Auckland Drainage Board that the control should be obtained by that authority. This could be accomplished by an amendment to the existing legislation, giving powers which could be extended to apply to ail gullies or creeks throughout tne area, which would then come under contiol 01 i_he Auckland Drainage Board." Dr. Hughes went on to explain that the whole of the Auckland and suburban drainage system was naw. under consideration "by his department and the Auckland Drainage Board. Negotiations with suburban bodies had. proceeded to a point where unanimity in reuard to certain proposals had almost been reached. An understanding had been come to by himself, the engineer for the Drainage Board (Mr. Watkins) and Mr. Drummond Holderness, engineer to the Auckland Harbour Board,., on major matters connected with the whole scheme. In view of tne departure- of Mr. Watkins for overseas countries, where he would study the latest methods in drainage and sewage, the whole scheme would be in. abeyance until his return.