THE DRAINAGE QUESTION.

Evening Post, Volume XVII, Issue 384, 2 April 1879, Page 2

THE DRAINAGE QUESTION.

? Last evening a well-attended meeting of Newtown ratepayers was held at the Newtown Hall, opposite the Tramway Hotel, with reference to the drainage question. The three representatives of Cook Ward were present by invitation. Mr. Batiilsb, who presided, explained that the meeting had bsen called by the Newtown Committee to consider the resolutions to be proposed at the Council meeting on Thursday night. Councillor Greenfield gave a short sketch oi the history of the drainage difficulty, and said that he thought the Council had made a mistake in giving the name of Mr. Clark to any scheme at all. (Hear, hoar.) it was Mr. Clitnie'a scheme, and if they were to take tbe two schemes they would find no substantial difference between them. Referring to the motion which he intended to move at the Council meeting, to the effect that a poll be taken as to the raising of a loan of £150,000 for drainage purposes, Councillor Greenfield said that it they started with the £30,000 which they had in hand, and then 18 months hence the ratepayers refused to sanction any further loan, the money expended would be completely thrown away. Councillor Huntbr, atter explaining that he was not a member ot the Council when Mr. Ciimie's scheme was accepted, said that the first exception which he took to it was that it was made to a price. It was quite impossible for an engineer to devise a satisfactory scheme if he was tied down to price. He believed that, all things considered, Mr. Clark's was the best scheme, and as long as he had the honor to have a seat in the Council he should vote for it as being tbe best scheme. (Hear, hear) Intimation had been given to him that he sbould be called upon to resign if he presumed to carry out the course he had stated, but he would be very unworthy of the confidence of tbe ratepayers If any outside pressure influenced him against a conviction arrived at atter careful consideration. (Hear, bear) W ith reference to Councillor Miller's motion tbe speaker observed that the taking of a noli, as proposed, hau no legal foundation, and was entirely out of the question. The ratepayers empowered certain men to represent them ia the City Council, and the latter could not remove the responsibility from themselves by asking the ratepayers to take a poll on this or that question. The only point upon which a poll Could be demanded was the question ot imposing a special rate. Referring to Councillor "Logan's moiion, Councillor Hunter pointed out what a very small proportion of the rate*payers voted at the poll *on Mr. Climie's scheme. He himself did not vote, because he knew' that tbe whole thing was only a faree 1 , and could not have any effect. No doubt many other persons refrained from voting for the sam» reasons. He was very sorry that

Councillor Greenfield was bringing forward his motion relative to raising the £150,000 loan. There was already before the ratepayers b proposal to raise a £100,000 loan, and it was quite enough to have one proposal of that kind before the ratepayers at once. It was very important, especially for Cook ward, that the £100,000 loan should be raised. Councillor Miller said that he was not in the Council when either of the motions ralatiog to drainage were carried. When standing for election for Cook Ward, however, he mentioned that he was in favor of Mr. Ciimie's scheme. He had ilnce carefully read all the letters in the papers, and all the pamphlets on the subj ect. Some of them he could not understand— (t laugh)— but from what be could understand he came to the conclusion that Clark's and Climie's schemes were both pretty much the same. Clark's the more extended, and Cllmle'a the cheaper of the two. A poll might not be quite according to law, but he thought that as the ratepayers had to find the money. they should bo asked which scheme they would have. (Hear, hear.) In conclusion he expressed a hope that the ratepayers of the ward would support the £100,000 loan. Councillor Grbbwfibld also spoke in favor of the loan. Mr Foothead moved, and Mr. Box seconded "That this meeting respectfully requests the representatives ot this Ward to support the carrying out of Mr. Climie's scheme without further delay." Mr.RoBBRTBON supported the resolution, observing that according to Mr. Climie's scheme the pipes were to be made in Wellington. He asked whether they, as working I men, would see the pipes imported from England when they were ready to make them? (Loud cries of" No.") Mr. Colliks thought that the town should be allowed to grow before any schema was adopted. A Voice: "And let us all die from fever in the meantime." (Hear, hear.) Mr. Stbwakt, holding up a glass of water supplied by the Corporation, said that it was as foul oa it potslMy could be, as btd been proved by the statements of the medical men of the town. If they went down the road they would find children being poisoned by the impure water. He did not believe in Clark's or Climie's scheme, but he believed In a plentiful supply of pure water. The resolutlan wbb put and carried nem con, and the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the representatives of the Ward for their attendance! SECULAR EDUCATION AND LARRIKINISM. TO THB EDITOR Off THB EVBHIWO POST. Sir -If your correspondent "Growler,'* were comparing the conduct of the pupils attending those schools iff Wellington, where only -secular subjects have been taught, with those in which religion baa been included in the daily instruction, he would have been quite right in selecting boys from tbe Te Aro Public School, to Illustrate the results of religious, toaching. For, until quite lately, that school, and one other, were the only two under the Board of Education, in which religion was taught' daily. Your correspondent therefore, U singularly unhappy in pointing out the boys of the Te Aro Public School as specimens of the effects of the present secular system of education. However, be shows how little he has studied the subject he writes about, when he charges the Education Act (and indirectly the .teachers), with being responsible for the larrikinism he refers too. Let him see what authority tbe parents of those boys exercise over them In their houftM, and. he will learn that fifty Eduction Acts, and an army of the ' best teachers. in the world would be quite unable to , cope with the evils he refers to. There seems to be no cure for them—unle«B, indeed, the State could adopt the old Spartan law, and assume entire control over the child from its birtb. This cry, that secular public instruc-tion-creates tbe- larrikin, tbe hoodlum, the criminal, indicates tbe utmost ignorance of the social relations of the masses of the people* and it is a matter; for surprise that the clergy, who might be presumed to be better informed, have taken it up. • 'i . i- Youri, kn r - _' "" Ltourocs.