MT. PLEASANT SEWERAGE

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28450, 3 December 1957, Page 7

MT. PLEASANT SEWERAGE

Protest Meeting Of Residents Dissatisfaction with the Christchurch Drainage Board and its failure to provide a sewerage service for residents of Upper Mount Pleasant was expressed at a protest meeting held by the Mt. Pleasant Community Centre and Burgesses’ Association last evening. About 50 persons attended the meeting and many of them spoke, at some length. A resolution criticising the Drainage Board and calling upon it to give a definite date for a sewerage system for the area was tabled. It was claimed that for many years the board had given conflicting explanations and reasons for non-connexion to the sewer, and that at present the board was permitting a private development of land to be subdivided and be connected. The meeting felt that this move was inconsistent with previous statements that the main was already overloaded. A resident who had lived in the area for 18 years said that the present system had been formed in two paris by the local rateoayers at their own cost and that the Drainage Board had taken over this system at a later date The Mt. Pleasant sewer on the lower slopes of the hill was only of four inches diameter and he had been told by the board nine vears ago that it was overloaded. Since then further connexions had been made, he said. The Cannon Estate subdivision was being carried out by a private person who was installing a sewer at his own cost. This had an eight inch main which had already been installed and connected to the board’s four inch main at the lower level, said another speaker. What would be the effect of those already connected further down the hill to the old main? Was it liable to burst with the increased pressure? he asked. “Neglected Area” “The board has promised us connexion within two years for nine years now. to my knowledge.” said an irate resident. “We are the most neglected area in Christchurch.”—Prolonged applause. It has been denied by the Drainage Board that the Mt Pleasant sewer had been included tn any proposed works for the present scheduled works, said a resident. He produced an extract f rom a newspaper dated October 1. 1954. which stated that the Mt. ( Pleasant and Muritai terrace areas should have been connected by 1956 “To make such a statement surely the board mu't have had grounds for it. allotted finance and made a survey.” he said. “Yet we have a letter, saying that the board is investigating finance for th® pronosed sewer, and hopes that the Loans Roard will allow it to be included in the loan for scheduled works The letter also says that the Cannon Estate sewer will be paid for by the board when it reticulates the area.” Septic Tanks Instances of faulty septic tanks overflowing into neighbours’ properties were given and it was alleged that effluent overflowed from the school over the playground and on to the Cannon Estate which was to be subdivided. The Heathcote County Health inspector (Mr J E. Brown) spoke brieflv on the difficulties of septic tanks operating efficiently -specially in such areas as Bank’s Peninsula where the underburden of clay prevented soakage and the affluent seened away with the ground water. If the septic tanks did not operate properly, then they must be stopped as they could be a potential danger to health. There was a new system of the modified sentic tank which only used, one pint of water for flushing. However, the Health Department was only concerned with the .policing of -sanitation—if one system was not available, then ♦he next had to be used The Drainage Board was a local body »n its own right and the Health Department could not be involved unless the public health was endangered. he said.

The meeting carried the motion unanimously and appointed a deputation to wait on the board with the resolution.

PIGEON RACING East Christchurch Club

A 500-mile race from Te Araroa to Christchurch was held recently by the East Christchurch Pigeon Racing Club. W. Walls’s two birds were the first home. Results were: W. Walls. 14hr smin 42sec; W. Walls. 14hr 6min 19sec: T. Ball. 17hr 45 min 28sec: R Wallace. 17hr 46min 48sec: W. Mountfort. 17hr 48min 51 sec: W. Mountfort. 26hr 59min 52 sec: H. Courtier. 27hr 34min 54sec. The nominated bird prize went to J. Turner.