CHRISTCHURCH DRAINAGE BOARD.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18634, 8 March 1926, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH DRAINAGE BOARD.

INSPECTION OF WORKS. /A party consisting of members of the Christchurch Drainage Board, representatives of local bodies, and visitors made a tour of inspection last Saturday of the Sewage Farm, and tli© sewer mains and pumping stations -which are now under construction. The party, numbering 'fifty,, left the Board's office at 11 a.m., and proceeded: to the Fendaiton bridge, and then to Riccarton road railway crossing. The work there is greatly handicapped owing to the nature of' the Bub-soil, especially in Riccarton raad, where quicksand has been encountered. The party then proceeded to the pumping stations at Swann's road bridge, and Randolph street, and from there to the outfall drain on Palmers ' road. The new works there are progressing very favourably. ■lt consists of levelling the sandhills at the back of the farm, and forming a number of "paddocks," with ditches along the 6ides, by means of which the septio tanks, wiiiqh have a capacity of three million gallons of sewage may flood the paddocks." The sewage:seeps through the sand, and is discharged , into the outfall drain as pure water. Annual Luncheon. At luncheon the chairnjan, Mr Walter Hill, stated that it was the 50th anniversary of the Board. On January. 4th, 1876, the Board had been instituted, and a loan of £200,000 had -been authorised,' with -this loan. The first stone sewers were put down in Ferry road. When all the present contracts were completed, there would be 120 miles of sewers, and 126 miles of open and river drains. The reason , why pumping had to be used was because it is impossible to make use of gravity, Tuam street being 25ft below the level. Mr Calbraith. City. Engineer, heartily congratulated the Board on the very good work it had done in the past, and hoped that it would continue to do the same in the future. He stated that the Board would have to consider the storm- drainage, and also the sub-soil drainage of the City. The sooner this matter was attended to the better. With a drier soil there would ,be fewer fogs; the only bnes would be caused by the river, or would be sea fogs. In the afternoon the party returned to town after an instructive day's,outing.