THE Evening Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 1869.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1962, 19 August 1869, Page 2

THE Evening Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 1869.

It is gratifying to find that the Corporation are at length beginning to turn attention to the drainage of the City. In this they have many difficulties to Contend with; but, fortunately, the way has been already cleared for them, for they have some definite object set before them, through the labors of the Commission that reported on the subject some years ago. The chief obstacle to thorough drainage seems to be the expense. It is questionable whether, for years to come, the City will be in a position to afford the outlay necessary. This seems to have had a paralysing effect upon the Corporation, which, combined with the clumsy legislation that gave them insufficient powers to deal with nuisances, reduced them to comparative inaction. The last difficulty has been remedied, but the first remains. But it does not follow, because all cannot be done that might be effected were there ample means at command, that the Corporation should do nothing. Mr Tiioneman deserves the thanks of the inhabitants of the City for moving in the matter, and now that the Committee has been appointed to inquire into the desirability of initiating an efficient sewerage system, we hope that they will not be in too great a hurry to report, but will give to the inquiry that attention that its importance demands. In this matter public opinion will help them.

It does not appear from the terms of the motion, however, that they are expected to do more than report upon a question that is already settled in e\ ery man’s mind who lias any regard to the sanitary condition of the City. As to the “ desirability ” of the matter, there can be no doubt. Its practicability in the present financial position of the City is what requires to be met. Two very important questions are then remitted to the Committee to consider, which are implied in the very nature of the work they have to do—First, pending the adoption of a general system of underground drainage, what can be done to remove immediately the nuisances now existing ; and secondly, how can this be done so as to form an instalment of a general plan that begun now, may be persistently followed out for years, as funds become available, until the whole drainage of the City is accomplished. The great fault of representative corporate bodies is change _ of mind in prosecuting works extending over long periods of time. Such works are almost necessarily carried out piecemeal, and in many cases in older cities it has been found as one party or another has prevailed, one has busily undone what their opponents have begun. It would be quite impossible for any manufacturing or mercantile business to prosper under similar mismanagement. Wherever large concerns of that character succeed, it is usually because their plans are well laid beforehand, and under the direction of one mind. The details may be left to any variety of agents to carry into execution, but they all work for the accomplishment of one definite purpose. If the principle is applied to City works there is always much saving. Wherever departure from the gradients laid down by Mr Millar in his general plan for the improvement of the City has taken place, it has invariably resulted in the expenditure of money that would otherwise have been saved. Notwithstanding the slighting manner in which that gentleman’s exertions have been spoken of occasionally in the City Council, it may be safely affirmed that more was done under his direction for the improvement of Dunedin, than has ever been effected in any place for the same expenditure of money ; and that this was mainly attributable to the saving resulting from every part of the work to be done, being made a portion of one general whole. It can hardly be expected k that amateur engineers like Mr Simpson, for instance, who commented a week or two ago on some plans for City drainage, can see their way to working out comprehensive systems, involving the gradual efforts of years to accomplish ; but they may see how necessary it is that a well considered plan should be devised before-hand, in order that what is done at intervals should lorm part of it. The difficulty, iin such matters for committeefCftr public bodies to decide, is to . whom is to be remitted the scientific survey that such a work requires. There have been very few public works yet done in Dunedin that have not cost considerably more than the estimate of the professional men. The new Post Office, the Exhibition Building, the Provincial Government Buildings, and the Water Works, are each a striking instance. In order to judge correctly the worth of an estimate, those who have to decide must have a fair share of professional knowledge themselves; and in the absence of this, competition in plans is the best way of arriving at the truth. This plan has not met the approval of the City Council iu the gas affair. With regard to drainage, they are yet free. Perhaps they may think better of competitive plans on such an .important object as drainage.