DRAINAGE SCHEME.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 45, 22 February 1934, Page 15

DRAINAGE SCHEME.

j LOCAL BODIES' ATTITUDE. FINANCE THE DIFFICULTY. The drainage scheme for the metropolitan area which has been submitted to the local bodies concerned by the Auckland Metropolitan Drainage Board was adversely reported upon at the meetings of several local bodies last evening. The board lias dccided to convene a special meeting for the purpose of further consideration of the question of proceeding with the scheme, and in the, meantime lias circularised the bodies which will bo required to contribute, seeking their opinions 011 the scheme. At the One Tree Hill Borough Council meeting, the clerk, Mr. A. Lecse, reported that the whole cost of the diversion, scheme would probably fall on the existing drainage district, and the annual loan charges, only, would amount to, say, 5J per cent on £520,000, or £27,300 On present valuation, One Tree Hill would contribute 4.07 per cent of the total, or £1111. He estimated that without any maintenance charges, the levy would bo increased by 71 per cent, which would represent a 2Jd rate. The additional maintenance charges would probably bring the total annual charges to within an appreciable distance of double the present costs.

The council decided to reply to the Drainage Board, requesting more concise information on essential costs. Devonport Unable to Support. The Devonport Borough Council decided to reply that the present system of drainage was sufficient for many years -to come,.if certain. improvements were carried out, and that the present time was inopportune to launch such an expensive scheme. The council declined to give its support. The Mayor, Mr. H. F. W. Meikle, said that while the matter was very important and he agreed with a unified system of control, the borough was not in a position to enter into a new scheme of. drainage that would cost the ratepayers "at least £100,000. Already the council had spent a total of £60,000 in the present drainage system, which was functioning quite well. The present system could be improved at a cost of about £20.000, half of this to be spent at the North Head outfall and the other half in. connecting North Devonport with the Takapuna Council's outfall at St. Leonard's. This would meet with the Health Department's approval. "This borough cannot finance it at the present time, especially when we have got the water scheme before us," added the Mayor. Otahuhu Wants Information. When the circular camc before the Otahuhu Borough Council the town clerk explained that the scheme would cost approximately a million pounds, and that the board would take over Otahuhu's present system and collect on a drainage rate. The opinion of councillors was that the drainage scheme of surrounding local bodies would have to be dealt with and the major scheme would ultimately come into operation. It was decided to reply that the council approved of a Greater Auckland drainage scheme, but could not commit itself until it know what its cost would be to the borough. Further information would be welcome. Mount Wellington's View. The Mount Wellington J'oad Board resolved to express entire dissociation from the scheme, for the reason that the scattered settlement at present in the district did not justify any costly system of drainage, that it was unlikely any material alteration would take place in the district for a great many i years, and that tlie district could not assume any additional financial responsibility or commit itself to any liability I for a share of the cost of a metropolitan drainage scheme.