Opponents to join forces

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33654, 2 October 1974, Page 1

Opponents to join forces

Two political opponents on the Gliristchurch Drainage Board will join forces to obtain fair treatment for an elderly Mount Pleasant couple who have been denied reasonable access to their house for six months.

Mr J. Ryan (Citizens) land Mr J. Davidson. | (Labour) are frustrated by the board’s continued refusal to alleviate the it has created for Mr and Mrs L. M. Trott, of Mount Pleasant Road. The board last April erected a barrier of sandbags across the Trotts’ driveway, Ito contain stormwater. Six 'months later, the sandbags are still there—and the board jhas taken no action to eradiI cate the cause of the trouble. ! The sandbags were originrally intended to prevent stormwater from sweeping away the foundations of the Trotts’ house. They were placed about 80 yards from the house, making it impossible for the Trotts to get their car down a difficult j drive. I Mr Ryan raised the issue 'at the last meeting of the

iiboard. saying that unless it 'took action to help the j.Trotts he personally would [igo to Mount Pleasant to fix I the trouble > Mr Rvan was told after the I meeting not to "rock the boat.” ■' Mr Ryan is exMrtaacad In 1 drainage work, having carried on the business of Ryan Bros for many years, in I partnership with his brother, > Mr B. Ry an. o Mr Davidson has made [ repeated representations to j the board to help the Trotts, •but without succe.s- Ihe ■{board, guided by its solicitors and engineers, has ■ declined to effect even temptjorary relief for the Trotts ’ | until other matters associated with the work arc ! cleared up. > The inconvenience the ■jTrotts suffer is one of the t worse features of a problem I which is an acute source of worry to residents at Mount II Pleasant. ' The board installed at the ! junction of Mount Pleasant IRoad1Road and Major Hornbrook i Road a 27in culvert to take stormwater from the catchment at the head of Mount Pleasant Valley. The water from the culvert then flows down an open creek to McCormacks Bay. In severe rainstorms, the culvert spews out water at such force that it turns the otherwise slow-flowing creek into a torrent — the results of which have been disastrous. The creek bed has been grossly scoured, and the trees and bush on either side of it torn out Some large trees, including three fine specimens of Australian gums, have died. The destruction of the creek bed now appears to be ({disturbing the stability ol the . I hillsides on each side. Great . cracks have opened up in {retaining walls and footpaths near houses, and seepage continues in dry I weather. To try to urge the board to solve the problem, two residents, Messrs G. E. Feliton and G. A. McDonald, lhave agreed to pay $lOOO toI wards the cost of installing ja confined drain, either open or closed. This offer has also failed to obtain action from I the board to deal with the ] drain or give the Trotts j access to their home. “SCANDALOUS” Two other residents, Messrs D. J. Davies and J. Overlack, have files of correspondence with the board, none of which has resulted in any action. Mr Ryan agreed yesterday that the board’s failure to act was “nothing short of scandalous” in that it had done nothing to make things more tolerable for Mr and Mrs Trott.