CRITICISM OF A COUNCIL

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 81, 3 October 1921, Page 2

CRITICISM OF A COUNCIL

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In your article under the heading "Serious Criticism of a Council" it.would appear to the general public that the reply of the engineer had fully explained away the cause of the recent trouble we have experienced, and in his reply the engineer states that the trouble only arose during flood times. Now, Sir, this is contrary to' fact, as one of our deputation pointed out to the council, the sewerage sumps were . overflowing and depositingrefuße during practically the whole month of August last, which month you will remember was a practically dry one, and that the sole reason for overflow was caused through the cessation of the pumping plant. This fact can be corroborated by anyone who live 3in this neighbourhood. The engineer also states that the ohief source of the trouble was through Percy's Creek having been turned into Nelson-street sewer. This fact is granted to a certain extent, but we would also like to point ■ out that, as .was stated to the council, the overflow storm water that' accumulated on the east side of Nelsonstreet was compelled to lay there" until the Nelson-street culvert had subsided enough to allow this surplus water to run back practically uphill into the Nelsonstreet sewer, instead of having some other means of escape. • ' The subject of the deputation was not so much the flood waters as the proper and continual working of pumps to clear away the sewage—a matter which, as pointed out by one of the deputation^ was for the benefit of not only the immediate neighbourhood, but the whole of the Petone borough, and perhaps farther, as wo considered that it took very little sewage matter to cause a serious epidemic of perhaps, typhoid fever. Your report states that Mr. Townsend considered the chairman's suggestion that the district be specially rated as impertinent. This is again contrary to fact, as tho expression was never used by any of the deputation; all that Mr. Townsend stated was that the suggestion was unjust. We might also mention that this grievance of flooa waters is of several years standing, and we have como to the conclusion that the position should bo remedied before something really serious does eventuate. We await the engineer's report with interest, and in the meantime will go on disinfecting.—We are, etc., F. THORNTON, No. 2, John-street. F. TOWNSEND, No. 4, Jolm-streej;. GEO. J. WALSH, No. 2, Islington-sl. Y. G. CARVER, No. 3, Islington.-st, (Members of the Deputation). Potone, 28th September.