CITY ENGINEER’S EVIDENCE

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25548, 16 July 1948, Page 10

CITY ENGINEER’S EVIDENCE

When Mr E. Somers, the city engineer. was asked by the chairman for his views on a metropolitan board of works, he said he did not think it was the best form of control for Christchurch. He considered that the City Council’s scheme for overall control was more suitable and likely to bring about efficiency and economy. Mr Somers told Mr E. C. Champion, counsel for the Christchurch Drainage Board, that one of the sources of the Heathcote river was near Wfgram aerodrome and outside the proposed city boundary, but the amount of water coming from outside the proposed boundary would not embarrass the city. He Knew that the Drainage Board had an arrangement with Wigram to take sewerage from the aerodrome, and that the board’s proposed new boundary, included Wigram. If the city took over drainage and sewerage, he could see no reason why the City Council could not make an agreement with Wigram similar to the one with the Drainage Board. Mr Champion: Do you contemplate including the Estuary itself in the city boundary?—At the moment, no. So you propose nothing about the drainage problems which arise in the Estuary?—l would not suggest that. The Estuary is a particular problem with which the Drainage Board and the City Council are very worried. Except for a small portion it is not vested in any local authority. The whole thing is under review. Mr Somers, to another question, said he understood that the Drainage Board included the Estuary in its proposed new area. .

To Mr G. W. Dell (for the Riccarton branch of the Labour PartyT. the witness said he knew r that at times there was a discharge of sewage into the Avon river, and he argued that under the present set-un of control of drainage there was nothing practical which the city could do to eliminate the nuisance. He added that there might be legal means. City Engineer’s Department Questioned by Mr F. B. Stephens, counsel to the commission, about the administration of his department, Mr Somers said he had on his start' an assistant engineer and three qther qualified engineers. His duties were mainly administrative,, and he acted as a consultant. If the City Cou icil’s claims against the territorial local authorities were successful, he thought another engineer would be needed, or perhaps two if the waterworks were being extended. Dealing with the city’s proposal to absorb the Drainage Board’s functions. Mr Stephens asked Mr Somers, who had agreed that a drainage expert would be needed, what his (Mr Somers) work would be. “I would have a general supervisory and co-ordinating job,” said the witness. Mr Stephens: Does Mr Scott (engineer to the Drainage Eoardi need anv supervision to-day?—No. So that if you are going to adopt a supervisory attitude you are placing something over him which you agree he does not need to-day?—i think it comes down more to co-ordination. Mr Somers agreed that there should be unified control of drainage in a district. He said there was full co-operation between officers of the council and of-

fleers of the Drainage and Tramwaj Boards. Mr Stephens: What do you consider are the qualities which make a good city councillor? The chairman: Is that really relevant? Mr Stephens: Yes. sir. It has been suggested that the Drainage Board should continue, as its members have special knowledge of the problems. I will put it this way. Do you consider it necessary for members of. say. the town planning committee, to be town planners?—No. I would say a councillor is in the same position of a company director. He must have good general ability and an overall knowledge of the subject. Asked about the extension of the drainage district sought by the Drainage Board. Mr Somers said he considered there should be an urban and a country drainage authority. If the City Council took over the Drainage Board he would not recommend any extension of the drainage district beyond the urban boundaries. Population Figures Mr Stephens said it had been suggested that the figure of a Mr Calvert, who in a study of population, said that in 25 years the population of Christchurch might be expected to reach 250.000, was too optimistic and that present trends did not justify it. Apparently it had not been fully appreciated that Mr Calvert’s figures were illustrative. He asked Mr Somers: “If experts in population think the figure is too optimistic will it involve any redrawing of the plan of the Metropolitan Town Planning Committee?” The witness said that if experts made that statement now the plan should possibly be reconsidered. He dia not think it would make a very big difference to the plan as a whole. “No. but as a necessary adjunct to it,” Mr Somers replied to Mr Stephens’s question: “Do you look on Lyttelton as an organic part of the urban unit?” He had ho close figures on*the number of persons who travelled to and from Lyttelton each day, Mr Somers added. If the commission decided that Lyttelton should be brought into the city there would be no great administrative difficulty, but he thought it might result in some loss of economy. With a tunnel road Lyttelton would be as close to the city is Sumner. but there would be great waste of time in travelling by train dr over the hills. The area which included the Islingon freezing works had been described y the witness as a “borderline case.” :aid the chairman. What advantage yould there be to the city if the area . as brought inside the city boundary? “I don't think there would be any •dvantage, at least for some years,” 3id Mr Somers. He added that he did not think the city would suffer if Islington was left in the country. A former town planning officer to the City Council (Mr A. H. Bridge), who gave evidence on Tuesday, told Mr Stephens that he did not know that the Metropolitan Town Planning Committee, to which he was adviser, had declined to give evidence to the commission. The committee knew he was giving evidence and he had received no instruction.

Mr Stephens: Will there be any detriment to the success of the town planning scheme if the statutory control is divided among six or seven local authorities?—l don’t think so.