THE DRAINAGE BOARD

Evening Star, Issue 12398, 11 January 1905, Page 6

THE DRAINAGE BOARD

The ordinary meeting of the Drainage and Sewerage Board was held last evening, and attended by Messrs R. Qlendining (chairman), J, Haalett, T. Scott, J. H. Hancock, J. Gore, R. M. Clark, the Hon. H. Gourky, and Dr Coughtrey.

Before «Hnmencmg the ordinary business the Chairman said that he desired to state that his business engagements renderedi it impossible for him to give that time to-the work of the Board that was required, hence his letter to the electors intimating that he wouild not be a candidate for re-election. That would be the last occasion on which he would take part in thd, proceedings ofthe Board, and he desired to acknowledge the uniform courtesy that had been extended to him as rhairnvm by all the members of the Board. At the same time, he thought it right to state that up to the present het had been thoroughly in accord with all the work that the Board had done. —(Applause.) —The Roll-. ' The Secretary of 'the Ratepayers and Householders' Association wrote stating that he had been desired to call the Board's attention to the incomplete and unsatisfactory type-written roll which had been prepared forj use at the ensuing election, the same being useless for identifying the voter. The Chairman said that he thought all the members knew all about this business. The ratepayers' roll at the last election was a very expensive affair. Thia roll under discussion was the roll used at the last election, without any complaints being made, and it saved the Board at least £BO, and he thought that the whole of the Board concurred with the getting of this roll to save expense to the ratepayers. The Secretary said that they had legal advice about the matter, and read a letter on the subject from Messrs Mondy, Sim, and Stephens, who wrote that they had considered the question submitted for opinion by the Board in connection with the "district electoral roll" to be compiled under section 6 of the Dunedin Distinct Drainage and Sewerage Act, 1900, and all that, the section required was that there should be entered on the roll the names of all persons having the qualifications as electors mentioned in section 5, and they thought the roll as it was now being compiled complied with the law. It was, of course, desirable to have a roll that would enable the election to be conducted properly, and in cases where there was more than one person of the same name on the roHthe respective occupations of these several persons should be brought forward from the municipal rolls so as to enable one elector to ba distinguished from another of the sane name. The letter from the Association was received. —Works Committee.— The Works Committee reported as follows*—Tenders to be opened at to-night's meeting of the Board have been called for the plastering required at the pumping star tion. Tenders will abo be invited' for the painting and glazing. Wife reference to tiie discussion at the last meeting of the Board, it is proposed to make a test, under equaJ conditions, of 9in brick -work circular sewer, sft' 6in. internal diameter, against a Monier pipe of smvlar diameter, such as hj now being used with the main intercepting sewer. The Committee recommend that Jasper Willis Maclrissack, engineer's correspondence clerk, be appointed to the staff of tha Board.

Dr Coughtrsy, in moving the adoption of the report, said that with regard to the proposal to transfer the Cargfll road sewer irom the South Dunedin side to the Caversham side of the road, the engineer reported that this could be done, but it would involve the Board in an extra expense of about £6OO.

Mr Scott said thai the City Council had notified the Board that tbey objected to the plans submitted as far as the tram-ways were concerned. If the sewer -works -were allowed to interfere with the tramways the Board would find themselves in a rather a-wkward position. If the two bodies could not agree, it was then a matter lor the magistrate to decide. It would be wise to see if the two bodies could not agree first He noticed that a test had been made with the sft 6in Monier pipe, and also the same size circular brick sewer. He did not think any»ne putting kr a brick sewer would put it in in circular form. It would be made in elliptical form, and the test was scarcely a fair one. Dr Coughtrey said that he himself was not in favor oJ the tests, and he thought that they were a waste of public money, but ihe. Works Committee authorised them. Before he became a member of the Board he was convinced of the superiority of the Monier pipe as compared with brick work or masonry.

In answer to Mr Hazlett, the Engineer said that he had no doubt as to the strength of reinforced concrete, but the reason he asked for the tests was that statements were emphatically made that the 9in brick work was stronger than the design he submitted. It was in self-defence he asked for the tests. *

Mr Clark said that apparently no one wanted the tests, and he thought they should be discontinued.

The report was then adopted. Dr Coughtrey then read a letter from the engineer as follows:—" Ee CargiH road main branch sewer, concerning the representations of the city engineer that if the 2ft diameter pipe from Hillside road to Bradshaw street, which the Board propose to lay, bo laid on the South Duncdin ski? of the road it will interfere with traffic f recommend thai the City Council be informed that the Board axe willing to lav it on the Caversham side throughout if "the Uty Council will pay the cost of replacing that portion of the Cavorsbam drain which would require to be lifted and relaid under the footpath near egg's Corner, as well as the cost of sand-tampmg the whole of the excavation, so that there will bo no settlement and no danger of the sides comb" down m such a way as to interfere with the existing dram on ono side or the new tramways on the other. I have gone into this, and estimate that the extra expense would come to about £600." Dr Coughtrey moved that a copy of the letter be sent to. the City Council Mr JJazlett seconded. Scott: I think you are only wasting

Mr Hancock thought that the matter was decided long ago. Mr Gore said thit if the sewer were placed m a positMn to interfere with the tramways it might mean a delay 0 f toelve or eighteen months before the South iS edm people could get their trams J- *"£ **» motion was simply a waste of time. The Board had to ,T^!l, r J vhafc x^ >siJa ? n tbev take up in regard *> the objection taken to the plans by the City Council. The CWI had simply called upon the Board to modify the plans so as the tramways would not be interfered with.

Dr Coughfcrey called attention to the fact boat it was oyer twelve months since the JJoara gave clear intimation of the position of the sewer and the depth it would be. Under the Act no legal objection had been rased so far, and they had gone on with the work. With regard to £he proposal that had been made, the proper time to EH3B that w*s when the Board had finally decided upon the scheme. The motion wa^-carried. —New Offices^—.

Mr Efexlete was cafled on to propose the motion of which he had given notice, to the effect that, as the lease of the Board's present offices expired in March, the engineer should be instructed to erect a suitable board room and offices for the secretary at Kensington. Mr Hazjett explamed that he had tabled this motion in his agreement with a remark made by Mr Gore that all the Board's offices should be located together, and as their office lease expired in March, and they were paying a very high rent for email accommodation, he had thought the change desirable. However, he-did not wish to rush matters, and he thought it -would perhaps be better anew: jefcc ihe- Jnattex to fh& T&arfcr.

Committee to report, and would move hi that direction.—This was agreed to.. —Mechanical Engineer.— Dr Coaghtrey moved, and it was carried —"That the applications for the position of engineer at the pumping station be opened by the' Board's secretary and «ngiThe combined .Tramways neer, and tabulated tor thethe Board on a. bas is Name, age, grade of certificate, experience of running various types of engines, what experience each applicant has iad in the manufacture and erection of machinery; and this information be remitted to the Works Ckjmmittee to select twelve names for the final decision of the Board at next meeting," Three separate tenders were received for plastering work at the pumping station, and these were referred to the Works Committee to report. —The Chairman's Retirement.— Before the meeting closed, Dr Coaghtrey said that, as Mr Qlendihing had expressed his intention of retiring, and found such • step imperative, he felt it would be improper to allow him to retire from the position he had held so long without expressing the great regard the chairman had earned for himself, among his colleagues. He could not speak too highly of the unselfish manner in which a .busy man On Mr Gflendining had devoted so much time to the interests of the Board and to pubfio matters, or of the pleasant relations that had always existed between them. He was sure he was voicing the opinion of all the members in what he said, and would more that their sense of appreciation of Mr Glendhiing's services to the Board be recorded on the minutes.

Mr Gore seconded the motion -witL. pleasure, and bore testimony to the chairman's consistent courtesy and kindnesq, which he had never allowed any difference of opinion to affect, and to his attention to ' the Board's affairs to the sacrifice of his own interests. He believed Mr had had most thoroughly at heart the weJ&re of the citizens in all things connected with the Board, and had done his utmost to have the work carried out- in a proper spirit. Mr Hazlatc endorsed all that had been said, and the motion was carried amid applause. Mr Glendining thanked the members, saying that he had always tried to do his best in the interests of the ratepayers of the City, and had he the time to spare, and if his "health would stand it, he wtmld stick to the Board and see their drainage scheme through. He might say that it wsa the only thing he had given, up. without seeing it through. Though retiring, he would retain a deep interest in the affairs of the Board, arid hoped to live to see the work carried through to a successful terApplause.)