MORE STAFF FOR DRAINAGE BOARD

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31865, 18 December 1968, Page 20

MORE STAFF FOR DRAINAGE BOARD

Some additional engineering and technical staff was approved by the Christchurch Drainage Board last evening after the chief engineer (Mr P. J. McWilliam) had presented a long report on staffing needs to accelerate the projected works programme.

To meet the needs of the. immediate future and later: extensive works costing many; millions of dollars would bei required, Mr McWilliam said.| Many of the sewer works, in-' eluding adequate treatment capacity, should be provided! within the next 10 years, but even after this there would! be a continuing need for reliefs and extensions. If the existing programmes! and the needs of the im-j mediate future were to be met i within 10 years then some! staff increase was required. Mr McWilliam estimated this increase was two staff engineers, three assistant engineers, three engineering assistants, a technical assistant, two engineering draughtsmen and two chainmen. However, the board did not make all these appointments. A list of stormwater works required to improve the' drainage from many areas aS| well as some river improvements did not by any means include all improvements | ultimately desirable, Mr McWilliam said. Most of the areas or works listed were, however, problems that had been before the board for many years and it was fortunate that the area had had several relatively dry years until this year and no undue flooding until recently? In the past it had been; necessary for the major [efforts of the board to be[ (directed to providing adequate sanitary sewer services,; | but increased development made it important that many I improvements and relief works should be proceeded with as soon as possible.