PETONE DRAINAGE.

Evening Post, Volume XLVI, Issue 122, 21 November 1893, Page 2

PETONE DRAINAGE.

A well-attended meeting of ratepayers was held at Petone last evening to consider the drainage question. The Mayor (Mr. R. C. Kirk) presided, and after reviewing the steps taken in connection with tho question, entered into the detaiU of tho scheme, which provides for drainago by gravitation from a point about 12 chains on the north side of Jackson-street direct into the harbour. From that point the fall would be towards Moraa'a Oreek, tho ond of which would be trapped and connected with a large open drain running through sections Nos. 6 and 7 into the sea. Even if the Hutt River might be running bank high, the drain would, he pointed out, still carry off the storm water coming down from the bill*, and so prevent the flooding of the lowlying portions of the borough. The estimated cost was jE13,000, and the scheme would embrace tho whole of tho township, inoluding the Band hills. A rate of 9d in the £ would be quite sufficient, but in any case it would not exceed 1b in the £. If the ratepayers desired a system of street channelling, then if he was elected as Mayor for the ensuing term he would endeavour to carry their opinions into effect. He moved— " That this meeting of ratepayers^ approves of the schome of underground drainage outlined by the Mayor, and desires the Council to take tho necessary steps towards taking a poll of the ratepayers at tho earliest possible date." This was seconded by Mr. J. Allender. Sir James Hector understood that the scheme was an alternative one, and felt some difficulty in discussing tho question until he was aware of the nature of tho alternative scheme. He advocated intercepting tho Btorm water coming from the oreoks and faces of the hills, and taking it direct to the sea. He did not see how tho proposed scheme would affect the subsoil waters, and to have a healthy township it was imperative that the saturation levels must be lowered. He did not approve of bouse drainage being connected with undorgronnd pipes, as in the case of an outbreak of diseaso it would be serving a dose of poison all round. He had every confidence in Mr. Higginson, bnt would like to hear tho other side of the question. Councillor Burnley said that Mr. HigginHon's scheme was not good enough, and in his opinion nothing but a system embracing a pumping station, with the raising of the levels, would be tffioient. Dr. Whitehead looked upon storm au4 flood water as an inconvenience more than a danger. He did not care what scheme was adopted so long as they had one that would take away the house slops and keep tho back yards clean. During his seven years' residence in Petone there hod only been three cases of typhoid in tho Borough, but by delaying this question tho people woro laying up more and more trouble for the future. Councillor J. Austin oritioised the sohomo at considerable length, and was questioning tho ability of the Borough Engineer when ho was oallod to order by the Mayor. He advocated a system of street-channelling Tho question was discussed up to a late hour, when the motion was put and declared to be all but unanimously carried, only four hands being held up against it.