BOROUGH DRAINAGE.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIX, Issue 55, 21 February 1913, Page 3

BOROUGH DRAINAGE.

A PRIVATE SUGGESTION. The question of . borough drainage cropped up at the council meeting on Wednesday evening, when Dr H. E. Finch, District Health Officer, wrote re, the drainage of the Crown Hotel that he understood the owner proposed to lay a drain from the hotel to the river discharging some distance below the well from which the borough water supply is taken. Under the circumstances he thought the council need have no objection to this, as no harm can arise from the discharge of this drain into the river.

[ The Mayor said tho proprietor, had tried aH inanuer of means to get rid of the drainage, but nothing had so far proved practicable. He (the Mayor) had suggested to the owners that a' sewerage system for the various board-ing-houses in the town be put down, and he thought the council would assist them in this work, for if a permanent system of sewerage could be devised, and pipes laid to all the boarding houses, that would be an instalment towards a future water supply. This a't anyrate would be a considerable relief to the existing needs. Mr Begg's proposal was a good solution of the difficulty as far as the Grown Hotel was concerned, but he would have preferred to sec a more general scheme.

At this stage Messrs John Begg (owner of the, Crown Buildings) and Matthew Begg (engineer) were called into the meeting. Mr M. Begg informed the Mayor that bis suggestion for a sewerage scheme to connect all the boarding-houses could not be adopted owing to the expense incurred, on account of the drainage requiring to be made at a considerable depth.

Mr J. Begg said he was prepared to lay permanent pipes from his property to the river if the council would bear a proportion of the extra cost, Six-inch pipes for the Crown Hotel service were proposed, while nine-inch pipes would be sufficient to carry all the sewage from Clyde street. He would prefer to give a donation to the council if it. would take on the work of a drainage scheme for the borough. He mentioned later on that the interest on the cost of the drainage work which he proposed doing would be over £2 less than what he paid annually in sanitary rates.

Councillor Worn! asked if in the event of the river rising to the flood height of last year would there be protection from tiio water backing up the pipes to the town.

Mr M. Begg said that could easily be done.

Jt was mentioned" that a septic tank would not be necessary for the Crown service, as the sewage would be discharged into the river below the well. Councillor Sheddan said it should be an understood thing that if the borough ever decided to go in for municipal sewerage Mr Begg would have to join in with the borough. It would not do to have two drainage schemes iii' the town.

The Mayor said the council could consider the question of a municipal scheme. It would be well to set up a committee to ascertain the wishes of the ratepayers in the matter. If they had a permanent drainage scheme the present nightsoil contract could be done away with. On Messrs Begg withdrawing, Councillor Wood said his opinion was that the council should fall in with the proposal to a certain extent, and take the borough drainage past the Council Chambers to below the well. It was not right, to discharge the surface drainage into the river above the well, as was being done at present. In doing this work the council might be able to assist Mr Begg in carrying- out his scheme. He thought. Mr Begg should be encouraged in his proposal, as it. 'was not a matter of private ownership, but one which concerned the health of the town. Drainlying stagnant in such a central place was a great danger, ami might cause a serious epidemic. He moved that a committee, consisting of the -Mayor, Councillors Danskin, Clark, Naish and the mover be appointed to inquire into a better drainage scheme. The motion was carried unanimously.