TO OBVIATE FLOODING

Evening Star, Issue 19855, 2 May 1928, Page 4

TO OBVIATE FLOODING

FROM THE LEITH CANAL HARBOUR BOARD'S SAFEGUARDS Realising the imminent dauger of Hooding from the Leith Canal along Harbour terrace, the Harbour # Board last night decided to complete its portion of raising the wall as quickly as possible. The other part of the work is the responsibility of the City Council. Air J. W. Munro stated that some of the residents of Harbour terrace had spoken to him with reference to the question of increasing the height of the Leith wall in the flooding area. Ho understood that the work had been completed, but the people stated that it had not been done at all. He would like to know when it would be completed. The Engineer (Mr J. M‘G. Wilkie) stated that the matter of an agreement between tbs board and the City Council was in the hands of the lawyers. Ho had started to drive the piles, but he could get .no definite authority to go on with the work, and he did not know where the matter stood at present. Mr Hayward asked if the fault lay with the City Council. Mr Munro said tho season for floods was coining on, and tho people in the locality were getting very anxious. Mr Wilkie said he had started the job months ago, and hail carried on as long as lie could; but when ho could get no decision ho took the men away. Mr T. Anderson mover) that the hoard give Mr Wilkie the necessary power to finish the work. The Chairman ('Mr J. M‘C. Dickson, M.P.) said the trouble was to, get an understanding with the tenants, some of whom insisted that the hoard was depreciating their properties by raising the wall. Mr Moller said he was in favour of going on with the work. Somo people on the south side were endeavouring to get compensation out of the board, and he thought tho City Council was standing behind those people. The Chairman said his attitude was that the wall should bo raised, and if the people concerned could prove to a court that they had suffered damage the hoard would pay for it. , The Secretary (Mr W. J. Bardsley) said the City Council had informed the hoard that, if the latter raised the wall it would bo-held responsible for any damage that resulted. Tho Chairman said tho City Council was not raising its part of tho wall, and the result was that they would have a bottle nock. Tho City Council should continue the work to make it effective. Mr D. E. H. Sharpe said the question was threshed out months ago, and he thought tho hoard had decided to take the risk. He advocated that the work should bo gone on with. Mr Wilkie said that the difficulty in regard to tho tenants had been fixed up, and the difficulty was with the City Council. Until the solicitors came to an agreement with Messrs Gregg and Co. the matter was held up. ft was decided to authorise Mr Wilkie to complete the hoard’s portion of tho work at once.