SEWERAGE IN HALSWELL

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28979, 21 August 1959, Page 14

SEWERAGE IN HALSWELL

Council’s Reply To Criticism

A question as to whether Cr. W. L. F. Utley had ever considered purchasing land and building in the Halswell County was included in a reply by the Halswell County Council to criticisms about the lack of sewerage of houses in the area, made by Cr. Utley at a recent meeting of the Christchurch City Council. The chairman of the Halswell County Council (Mr J. MacKenzie) made the reply in a statement issued at a meeting of the Halswell Council yesterday. “Councillors will have noticed that at a meeting of the Christchurch City Council on August 10. Cr. Utley is reported to have criticised the Regional Planning Authority for allowing a considerable number of houses to be erected in Halswell without being connected with the sewer,” said Mr MacKenzie’s statement “No Jurisdiction” “May I suggest that Cr. Utley should know that the authority had no jurisdiction and could not have prevented the erection of the houses. I am sure we could all agree with the ideal that it would be perferable to have sewers first and houses after, but experience over the ages seems to suggest that the ideal is a long way from being practical. "Perhaps Cr. Utley will give some instances of where such a course has been put into operation. As far as 1 am aware the only cases in New Zealand would be Government hydro-electric construction villages and similar settlements where such a step is not only practical but also desirable. In the case of Halswell County, approach has been made to the Christchurch Drainage Board with a view to being connected, but we all know that the board has its problems, one being the enormous and unanticipated demand outrunning the supply, and consequently we are advised that connexion in the meantime is not possible. Cr. Utley should know that modern engineering studies have resulted in the designing of sewerage systems to meet the requirements of smaller communities and he ran rest assured that Halswell will (if necessary) not be too chicken hearted to adopt such.a programme,” said Mr MacKenzie. “The new residents in the area have come as a result of their own choice to live in fresh air and sunshine, and are much happier than would be the case if forced to live in multi-storied flats in restricted city areas. “I wolud ask Cr. Utley if he ever approached a landowner in Halswell County with a view to purchasing a section for the purpose of erecting a dwelling,” he said.