CORRESPONDENCE.

Press, Volume XXIX, Issue 3973, 18 April 1878, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE DKAHTAGE. ' " TO IHB EDITOB O» THE PRBBB. sreidine orer Mr Clark's letter forwarded to Mr Harmon, the acting chairman of the Drainage Board, respecting the sanitary necessity of removing excreta by sewers, Mr Clark's reply would lead us to eoppoee that the combined nuisance emanating from 22,000 inhabitant* deposited on tbe sand, hille, would not be half euch a -nuisance as ■ that derived from 1600 or 1600 pans in Chrietchurch. . I must therefore be under the necessity of differing from Mr Clark. In consequence of the number of pans alluded to being m> isolated one from the other, the gases therefrom being so small in comparison with that which would arise from a combined deposit from say 22,000 inhabitants, which would be very likely to lay upon the surface of tbe ground for months together, and then with the prevailing easterly wind wafting in noxious gases to residents near the sand bills, sad also to all part* of the town ; and even supposing the sewage to be covered with sand to the depth, of three feet, even then the noxious gases would undoubtedly penetrate through to cause danger, and the people near the sand hills would very naturally be continually complaining. If the Drainage Board adopt Mr Clark's scheme, we shall not be any better in sanitary matters. and drainage than we are in the present day, because there is do more provision made for surface drainage than we have at present: then why borrow £190,000 without having a corresponding benefit therefrom when expended ?

-With respect to Mr Clark's estimates in his No. 3 answer, wherein he statee it will not fxeeed £190,000, besides working expenses, he is not at all correct, as he btates that fiftyseven miles will cost £190,000 independent of £1622- for the yearly working expenses, as Chrietchurch alone will require .thirty-eight miles of sewage drainage, and the suburbs combined 252 miles. Mr Clark estimated that the whole drainage scheme would be four square miles. Christchurcb is about one mile by one and a quarter, therefore Mr Clark must be entirely wrong in his calculations as to costs, and £700,000 is much, nearer the amount it is likely to cost. Mr dark did not give us an estimate as to what the cost of the piping connecting the houses with the main sewers would be, which is at the Tery least two -chains ia length, for a 4in. piping for each house, which amounts to 110 miles, and at Is per foot amounts to £28,000 ; no mean item~that for the ratepayers to consider, besides engineering expenses, clerical work, &e.,£c. -.•••. .. ,-. ■•; .-:' : ' Therefore I trust that the Drainage Board will seriously consider before they adopt Mr Clark's scheme. ' ■ ~ -' - Thankingyon, Mr Editor, for-inserting the above, " . Yours. &a, ' ; ' J. 8. M. Jacobset.