DRAINAGE BOARD.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14029, 28 April 1911, Page 2

DRAINAGE BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Christchurch Drainage Board, held onluesdav evening, was attended by Messrs Walter Hill (chairman), S. v. Bingham, A. S. Bruce, J. Down. W. J. W alter, S. A. Stanles, and F. J. Barlow. The engineer's report stated that the accounts for tho past year were ready for audit. The' £100,000 loan had been expended, and the account closed Ot the -£27,500 loan there were available credit balances in Richmond amounting to £205 9s, in New Brighton £30 <s 3d, in Avon £1055 9s 6d, and in Spreydon to £130 15s 6d; it was recommended that the cost of tho late loan poll h© charged to this last-named balance. During the year that had closed the total amount of sewerage area rates collectable was £29.280. Of this tho sum of, say, £10,300, had been expended on new works, less the sum of £3858 refunded from loan accounts, leaving the amount expended as abovo at £0442. There was now ajdeficitm the sewerage account of £4975, which had been created by the above mentioned expenditure, together with the cost of making good breaks and subsidences, as shown in the casualty account, and amounting to £895. The comparative cost of clearing the river Avon, Horseshoe Lake, and the river Heathcote, as between contracts and day labour was as follows:—By contracts. £1040 lis od; by day labour, £804 15s 9d; showing a saving of £235 15s Sd in favour of the latter. The work had been unquestionably better done, and the cost was likely to be somewhat less for the current .year. Tho report was adopted. The Waimairi County Council asked that a bridge on Mandeville road, over the Riccarton main drain, be re-built. The application was refused on the ground that it would create a bad precedent if it were allowed. The work did not come within the functions of the Board. Mr F. Sisson wrote askings that a drain at Papanui, known as Homer's drain, be attended to. It was decided 'to put the work on the estimates. The Canterbury Rowing Association wrote thanking the Board for the manner in which the Avon had been kept in condition during the rowing season. A number of residents of Lower Riccarton asked for improvements to Washbourn's drain. Tho "Works Committee, with Mr Stanles, were asked to report. It was urged that as the work would benefit private property, the owners should pay part of tho cost. The Board decided, Messrs Staples and Barlow dissenting, to offer £10 for a private drain in Papanui road. It had been constructed at a cost of £70.