BIRD ISLAND OUTFALL.

Evening Star, Issue 12167, 11 April 1904, Page 4

BIRD ISLAND OUTFALL.

THE GOVERNMENT INTERVENE. DRAINAGE BOARD’S PLANS DISAPPROVED. W® learn from oar Wellington correspondent that Mr Hales, the Engineer-in-Chief to the Marine Department, does not approve of the plans submitted by the Drainage Board’s engineer (Mr Noble Anderson). He is of opinion that the beach would be liable to become polluted by sewage, and in the circumstances the Governor-in-Coun-cil will be advised not to approve of the plans. We understand that the Board have been notified accordingly. On notifying Dr Coughtrev, the chairman of the works of the Board, of our having been advised of the aNjve, that gentleman said of course +'' Jli fosence of the chairman : m tow ‘ iee . rm S p st m- e to say much. i„t for ' c 'could say this: (1) In feoe -Hi" of the land, section 2, c’ lause 81, of ori- , Act » -' of Amendmen: r could not see how he Government' could stretch or strain the prerogatives of the Crown to interfere. (2) If the Government were determined to carry out the threat involved, they had simply ignored Mr Care Vs finding ' a t the Royal Commission. And why should the Board and the ratepayers have been put to the great expense of that Commission if they were now to be interfered with in carrying out their dutieo? (3) He could not say what attitude the Board as a Board would adopt in the present emergency, but there were graver public questions involved in the proposed interference than he cared bo discuss outside the board room. WORK SUSPENDED. The following notification explains itself; —Memo, to Ensrineer.— In view of the telegram just received from Wellington re sewage to Bird Island, I feel it my duty, in the interests of the ratepayers, as those works are all being carried out as if our outfall scheme was not to be interfered with, to at once suspend all operations on such of those works as fonn that part cf the scheme. I do this with great regret, "considering the large number of men who will be thrown out of work. But public money is not to be wasted. Mnmsv Oottgtttuky, Chairman of Works Committee. April 11, 1904, 2 p.m.