DUST NUISANCE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 120, 13 February 1908, Page 6

DUST NUISANCE.

• THE NEW ROAD SPRINKLER, i Tho city corporation's : new driven road sprinkler, which has ■ from timo >to: time been referred to 1 in these columns, .was takonfor a trial run on the Island Bay tram route on Tuesday evening. Tho apparatus oomprises a cylindrical cistern of large capacity, mounted oh a tramway bogie, fitted for independent running. Tho distributing attachments are designed for washing out the grooves of .the train rails, and for watering at tho same time the whole surfaco of the roadway; The trial run was superintended by the city electrical engineer (Mr. Stuart Richardson),' who was accompanied by the city engineer (Mr. W. H. Morton), and tho results were , considered. highly satisfactory. Of courso, the sprinkler can only operato 011 tho tramway'routes, so that th» existing watercarts will still have to be used 011 othor roads, but ■ the thorough watering of such places as Thorndon" Quay, tipper Willis Street," Aro Street, and the Oriental Bay and Island Bay routes .is expected to diminish greatly tho annoying dust nuisance. The central wood-blocked streets are regularly swept; and produce littloior 110 dust as compared with tho macadam roads mentioned above. Tho city"engineer lias beon,experimenting with calcium'-carbide for street watering, and:.tho results, so far, appear satisfactory enough to warrant a more extended trial, It-forms a crust on the surfaco of the dust, and attraots moisture, which it retains for a considerable' time.