THE SYDENHAM SEWAGE QUESTION.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9668, 5 March 1897, Page 6

THE SYDENHAM SEWAGE QUESTION.

Thursday, March 4.

The Sydenham Sewage cases were continued at the Magistrates' Court at 10.30 a.m., before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M. John Thompson, overseer to the Sydenham Borough Council, deposed that on March Ist he was at the depot. Mr Fisher asked if it were necessary to go into what had occurred since the information was laid. There might be quite a different state of things now from what existed at the time of the information. His Worship said he did not wish to shut out evidence. Mr Russell said he would submit that the application was for an order to abate a nuisance, and if he could show that the alleged nuisance did not exist, or the nuisance had been abated, then no order could be made. He would later on submit the extraordinary fact that while all the witnesses for the prosecution swore that a nuisance existed anterior to the information none had stated that it existed at the present time. A little later Mr Fisher said that if the defendants were to give evidence that they had abated the nuisance, the complainants should be allowed to call evidence that it still existed. The information was that the nuisance existed at a certain time. His Worship asked if evidence had not been given of dates subsequent to the information. Mr Fisher answered that that was so. His Worship said it would bo more convenient if, after the case for the defence had closed, Mr Fisher could apply to the Court for permission to call evidence. Mr Fisher—Very well, your Worship. His Worship said he would allow the evidence to be given, and afterwords the Court could deal with the question of rebutting evidence. Witness continued that he was working at the depot during its construction, and when finished it was perfect for its purpose. On March Ist he followed a cart from Har man street to the depot, and the smell was not bo much as from two days' accumulation in the old carts. The school latrines were discharged about twice a week, and such things as dead cats, &c, could as easily go down from them as from the depot. The fcecal matter at these places did not immediately pass into the sewer. Ho had examined the ventilators in Sydenham. There were thirty-one closed and thirtyeight open. He hod lived in Sydenham for thirty-four years, and he had noticed that the smells from some of the ventilators were very disagreeable, more particularly in Addington. Those near the, depot were all open, and he had noticed no smells from them. He had had complaints about the storm water sewers in Hazeldean road, Wilderness road, and tho Belt. To Mr Fisher —Many of the ventilators were closed by natural causes ; got filled up because they were not looked after. He examined the latrines of the two schools, the Addington Workshops and the Lunatic Asylum. He learned they were emptied two or three times a week according to the , heat of the weather. John Whitelaw, architect and surveyor, living in Sydenham, deposed that he inspected the depot on February 17th and was not sensible of any smell from the carts, or the building, or of any characteristic smell in the building when the discharging took place. During the interval between the arrival of the carts he mode an inspection of the neighbourhood and examined the sewer ventilators. While standing up he experienced no smell; when he went on his knees '. he did experience a smell from some. He did not think the discharge of the matter into the sewer would cause a greater emission of sewer gas. If the depot was carried out regularly as he saw it working there would be no nuisance created nor would there be any danger to public health. He could < think of no site on the Belt which would offer.less objection than the present one. He did not think it would be possible to find a better on the Belt, The smell from the disinfectants was no more than could be met with at railway stations. Generally no one in the neighbourhood of the depot would notice the smell from the disinfectants. The depot system was preferable to the old style of carting to the sandhills. The property about carried higher value than residential lands, and had done for twenty years or more. The effect ou property values was purely imaginary. There was an outcry against the pumping station but that had died away, and houses were built without much consideration as to its proximity. There was access to tho depot across the line if it could be arranged. That would remove Mr Saohdera'B objection to carte passing and repassing his house. The access would be over a rood entirely devoted to ooal tracks, Ax., and would be away from what could be called a public thoroughfare. If this road could not be obtained relief could be given to Mr Saunders by taking in the carts on the opposite side of the section. Another method would be to place the old buildings on the section as. close to Mr . Saunders's house as would not. shut out the light; line the building with felt* ■__~ leaving the sooth-west side open, and then he did not think any smell could get through. The comparative level of sewer and the short run to the pumping station was against the accumulation of sewage gas. He had read what Dr. Symes said about slime in the sewers, and bad made a diagram, which he produced, by which he showed that the relative effeot of slime would be very small, even supposing that effect were produced. Having regard to the time the contents took to reach the pumping station, there was not likely to be an increase of gases to an appreciable extent. The time limit governed the whole process. He did not think the additional sewage would force sewer gas into houses through the house traps. Experiments had been made by which sewer gas was forced up the house traps, but the conditions were not comparable with those of the present case. He considered that the ventilation on the Belt at the depot should not be there, as it would practically amount to a leak in the pipe. "When the pipe was running full he would close up the ventilator and make special provision at the furnace for its absence, leading all tho odoriferous matter through a furnace, and he would raise the flue 20 feet higher. But this would not be bo much needed if a filter bed for the gases were placed between the head of the drain and the furnace. To Mr Fisher—He had not taken into account that at times the Tuam street drain would be full. This, he considered, could be obviated by the working of the pumpa. It was a "matter of importance that the material should be got to the station without any hindrance, but, regarding it in the sense of-a nuisance or injury to health, it was not a matter of importance if the material remained some little time in the drain. He had said it was not advisable to establish the depot near the gasworks on account of the combination of gases which might occur, and the success of tho depot might be jeopardised. The smell from the disinfectants was not an agreeable smell if one were confined with it. He felt the disinfectants more strongly when examining the carts outside. The chimney was not the kind of one he would have erected. If it were 18ft as stated, then an additioual 7ftor Bft would be sufficient, but he put more-consFderation on a deodorising bed of felt. George Moon, on the staff of the T.ytttlton Timet, stated that on January-6th he visited the depot. Messrs Harker, Rowley and others were present, who complained of obnoxious odours, but he perceived none. Charles Lafferty (a Sydenham Councillor) stated the several occasions on which he visited the depot, and that he never detected anything approaching a nuisance. On several occasions also he noticed many houses with windows open. Speaking generally from what he saw, he came to the opinion that there was no foundation for the complaints which had been made. Benjamin Throp, Inspector of Nuisances and officer for the Local Board of Health Sydenham, deposed as to the improvement? in the construction of the carts. In his opinion the operations at the depot created no nuisance. There had always been complajntaof emanations both from _torm water and sewage sewers. To Mr Fwher—The block in whioh the depot was situated was full of smells caused by bones, bonedust, and other matters. He lw S» d s?y .° rted •*«<» to the Council. William - Henry French deposed that he had been working at the sewage depot since 2? _* m ™ tion ext *P t h-g January 22nd and *Srd. The carta had never been "faked,. k nor co far _s he know had there been any * attempt to depart from the usual pre .Oct la

'the collection of night soil. On one occasion Mr Turner complained to him .of a strong burnt smell from the depot. As a matter of fact operations hod not commenced on that night. After every night -vthe place was cleaned out and disinfected, and the carts were also disinfected. After every cart had been discharged, a half tank of water was sent down the sewer for (lushing purposes. He had known Messrs Rowley and Harker complain of smells when be could not detect any. To Mr Fisher—He had just lit the fire when Mr Rowley complained of the burnt smell. When tire fire was lighted the gases from the tank were drawn up the chimney. Since he had been there he had used two gallons of Jeye's fluid. About half a pint of fluid was put into fifteen gallons of water, and all this was not always used in one night Chas. H. Pohr gave evidence as to the improvement in the carts and the way the tank was cleaned out.

Chas Allison, Clerk to the borough of Sydenham, deposed that for nearly eighteen years he had been that and the Surveyor. He put the schema before the Council in 1883, on account of complaints made about the carts going through Juinwood and Avonside, and the difficulty of getting a site for the disposal of the nightsoil. The scheme was revived until completed in its present form. The scheme was almost immeasurably superior to the old scheme. At all sites there was not the convenience for washing the carts. In 1883 petitions were presented to the City Council complaining of the carriage through Avonside. After the depot was opened witness applied for permission to close the ventilator on the Belt. Several improvements were contemplated, but were not carried out pending the legal proceedings. The Council were willing to do all they could to avoid anything like a nuisance. One or two defects were noticeable on the first night, but these were remedied. He had tried the scheme with the doors open lately, and could detect no smell. It was his opinion that the scheme would be even better if a few inches were cut off the bottom of the doors. He had prepared a table showing the nights he was present, the way the wind blew, and the names of the persons present. It was made up from his diary, and. was correct. From his experience, he was sure no offensive smell had escaped from the building since the first night. He had noticed a slight smell from the chimney, but this usually occurred when the fire was just lighted, and it was much less than was often noticeable from domestic chimneys. He was sure nothing offensive had ever been placed in the chimney on the 13th January. Mr Turner complained of the abominable stench from the chimney, and asserted that bones and such like were burnt. Witness showed him that the tank was clean, and that there was nothing but a coke fire in the furnace. Mr Turner kept his handkerchief to his nose and went away declaring that he was overpowered by the smell, which witness could not' detect. At this time operations had not fully commenced, after a lapse of six days. On the first night he noticed, before any matter was put in the sewer, that strong smells arose from the ventilator. He knew that such smells would discredit the scheme, and as the Drainage Board would not let him close the ventilator the next best thing he could do was to cover it with a sack.. Complaints were made about the sewer ventilators long before the scheme was introduced. . During the passage of the sewage, he had made an examination of several ventilators and found that at Manchester street and the belt very little was noticed in the way of smell. He saw the sump at the Pumping Station cleared one day, and in the buckets brought up there was mostly rags and paper. He could not understand how the men could work in the sump. The stench was worse by a long way .than any from the depot. The depot site was to his mind the most convenient, and suitable which could have been selected. '* Lately he had noticed smells which arose from other causes than the 'depot—smells from bones, guano, &c. The land in the neighbourhood of the;depot possessed'twice the value for .business as for residential purposes. The value'- had come down in consequence of the cost of .siding. The depot section was taken over by the previous pcoupier .at £1200. The Council hod an agreement* to buy it for £490. ~lf the Council could have access to the depot over the.railway line, any noise j from the carts would be avoided as far as : Mr Saunders was concerned.

To Mr Fisher—He supposed the passage of the carts would cause some discomfort in Mr Saunders's house, bnt it wculd not be as much as that caused by a loaded dray or a passing train. Since the 24th January be had no fear of the necessity for supervision. His presence since that date was to get on extensive acquaintance with the scheme, and also to see who were present. The buildings and well—which was about the best in the colony—cost about £200. The Drainage Board offered the use of their reserve, which was just beyond Christchurch reserve, but about £100 must have been expended to make access to it. If the improved carts were used to carry the soil to the reserve, he thought the Linwood people would have no cause to complain. The pressure at the grating would, no | doubt, force substances through, which, under ordinary circumstances, might not go through, but even under that "pressure it would be a very thin rabbit which would go through. To the Bench—The last contract was £850, or 2s a pan ; the previous one was ,2s 3d per pan. The Council anticipated a saving of at least £200 a year, and probably £300 a year. The Council provided for 2200 houses. About 70 houses had been erected in the last two years. There had been complaints from the Heathcote Road Board of the deposit on the sandhills. In 1883 three carts were used. In 1885 the scheme was revived because of the difficulty in respect to a site, and on account of complaints. The scheme did not succeed because tbe Council were prejudiced. The scheme was evolved on the score chiefly of the saving of expense. To Mr Fisher—They had no offer to get the work done for £100 less this year. The Council were now doing it themselves and would charge by a rate. This closed the case tor the defence.

John Paterson stated that he worked at the pumping station. During the last month or six weeks the smells had been a great deal worse. There was a lot more stuff to be burned, and what came up lately had turned him sick. He had been there nearly eleven years. For three days they now took off three buckets, hitherto there was about one bucket in the same time.

E. Cuthbert, recalled, said all the public schools, the Addington workshops, and about ten house latrines were connected. Public-houses, under resolution of the Board, were not allowed to connect latrines. Latrines should be emptied daily. Mr Whitelaw's plan was calculated to deceive. To Mr Russell—The diagram ought to show the 9in pipe fulL Evidence was put in from C. Walkden, late City Surveyor for Christchurch. It was to the effect that he found everything in a most satisfactory condition, and he could see nothing to suggest by way of improvement. It was, he thou.ht, the most complete piece of work he ever came across, because so much care and thought had been bestowed on the construction of .the work. He made two visits, and he neither saw nor smelt anything to change his . favourable opinion of the scheme. He did not see how the Sydenham system could aggravate the unpleasantness of smells arising from the sewers generally, or the ventilator on the belt at the depot. Cross-examined — Were he the owner of Saunders's house he would not like to have the apparatus so near on account of the carts passing at night. He considered the site a suitable one. He did not see why the system should not be established in Cathedral square, except on account of the noise of the traffic of the carts.

The case was then adjourned until counsel had had time to review the evidence, when adate would be fixed for argument.