DRAINGE BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 12767, 21 March 1906, Page 7

DRAINGE BOARD.

An ordinary meeting of the Dunedin Thainage and Sewerage Board was held last night, when there were present Messrs Burnett (in the chair), Small, Marlow, Hancock, Gore, Christie, Arkle, Scott, and Dr Fulton. —Correspondence.— The Engineer wrote, in reference to the Tomahawk Road Board's request for metal, returning correspondence with Mr Bishop on the matter, and reporting that to prevent danger of the Board's work being stepped, owing to lack of quality in the sand supplied by the companies,; it was neto retain Hie Board's sand pits. In addition to this, there were strong indications that the present storm-water outlet at Lawyer Head could not be used with impunity for the discharge of sewage for long, and as it would take between two and three years from the time the Board recommenced work at Lawyer Head till they could complete the outlet beyond Tomahawk Head, it would probably 'be fcund necessary to make a start with this work within the next twelve months. He considered that it would be a wise policy for the Board to supply the 50yds of metal asked for, which would cost only about £7 10s, and would save the Board from a repetition of the disagreeable and expensive experience which they had formerly with the Road Beard.—Agreed to spend the money mentioned. The Town Clerk, St. Kilda. wrote in reply to the Board's letter of 12th ' inst., stating that his Council did not consider 5 per cent, commission for collecting rates excessive. They could not, therefore, see their way to reduce the commission to per cent., as requested.—The Secretary said that the course provided by the Act was to appeal to the Auditor-General, —Mr Hancock moved that meantime the matter be referred to the Finance Committee. He mentioned that these borough councils had a. good deal of trouble in collecting the rates —The motion was seconded by Mr Mnrlow and canned The Town .Clerk, North-east Valley, wrote to the same effect. —Referred to Finance Committee. The Town Clerk, Roslyn, wrote staling that protests had been received from pro-perty-owners on the northern side of Pacific street. Roslyn, against the Board's action in classing some of these properties as " sewenxl." Most of the properties on tho north side of the street were so situated that it was impossible for the Pacific street sewer to be of any tse to them for house drainage. The "Council therefore requested the Board to adjust the matter equitably when classing the properties for the coming year.—The Engineer said that if they exempted people because they were on the low side of the street, not only people in Roslvn would corr.e under that exemption. These people could connect with the sewer by going through their neighbors' property. According to the solicitor, they were entitled to rate anyone when there was a sewer opposite to his property. It -was a question of equity against" law. —The matter was referred to the Finance Committee to act. —Reports.— The Toports of the Finance and Works Committees were adopted. Mr Small, in moving the adoption of the latter, to which was appended a.n alloca-tion-sheet, said : This allocation-sheet shows an expenditure over the amount of the previous one of about £B4l. The explanation is that there is included in the present amount the cost of a cargo of timber amounting to £470: a Mini which has been paid to the City Council in settlement of certain disputes between them and the Board, in connection with contracts Kos. 24. 30, and 44, of £144; abo an excess in' tho amount paid for stock of £7O; and an extra amount on account of wages on the M.I.S. of £IOO, accounting for £818; so that, leaving out of view the payments en account of material and the amount paid in wiping off old and disputed liabilities, the payments for the two periods are about the same. Maintenance lias, I observe, increased £2O, and is at the rate of £3,120 per annum—a rather formidable sum, and one which should, if possible, be reduced. The expenditure ou rtorm-water drains, which is. forcing itself upon us, is also as-

suming proportions. This fortnight it is, as you will observe, £220. The secretary has prepared an abstract of expenditure from 20th February, 1904, being the date of the report presented to the Board by Mr Anderson and myself, which report showed , that' upon- the main intercepting sewer and certain other work being completed the sum of £20,000 would be available for reticulation. ■■'■ The cost of the above works was estimated at £78,000. Since that date we have spent £70",000. Another £B,OOO ■should finish the main intercepting sewer, which will leave us with our £20,000 but without our outfall. This abstract will enable members to asce* i/ain the. direction in which the expenditure has taken since that date. Roughly, I find that instead of havj ing our outfall, which was to have cost (£26,000, we have made an extra expendij hire on the pumping station of £2,000; 1 clearing off liabilities in connection with - Matheson Bros.' and Bain's contracts, j £800; on St. Kilda sewer, £1,854; pay- • ment on Frederick, street sewer, £159"; i branch sewers and reticulation, £7,469; 1 storm-water drains, £1,717 ; plant, £1,870; J new' office, £SOB ; competitive designs, \ £1,064; interest paid, out of loan, £2,690; S general charges, salaries, etc., £5,300; thus 1 accounting for £25,000. —General. — ; The matter of the extension of combined area was referred to the Finance Committee to report. It was decided that the Board inspect the detritus tanks at Frederick street on Tuesday next. It was stated that the Board had accepted a cabled offer of B,ooogal of Solar oil for the Diesel engines at 7d c.i.f. and e. It was resolved that an operative plumbers' license be issued to J T. Archer, and drainers' licenses to Jame-3 Frame, Philip Gosney, and A. Chapman.