DRAINAGE BOARD

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13937, 20 December 1905, Page 9

DRAINAGE BOARD

The Christchurch. Drainage Board met yesterday; present—Messrs J. Forrester (in the chair), W. E. Samuels, J. Down, C. Burgess, S. A. Staples, T. H. Dover, G. M’lntyro and B. J. H. Carew. A report submitted by Mr Cuthbert (secretary, treasurer and engineer) stated that the rates received from November 18 to December 16 had totalled £2124 15s Id, and sums from otftei: sources had aggregated £BB 12s. The expenditure had been £7511 8s 2d. "The amount of expenditure on the No. 1 loan account had been £273 17s sd, and on the No. 2 loan account £lO6 13s Id. Outstanding rates amounted to £152 Cte Gd 'for 1903, and £533 16s 9d for 1904. A sum of £5995 Is 6d had been collected on the 1905 rate. There was a debit balance of £8991 19s Id on the rate account, and there were credit balances of £346 17s lOd on the No. 1 loan account and £lO6 18s Id on the No. 2 account. N The statement was approved. Mr R. Pitcaithly, chairman of the Board, in,a letter apologising for his absence, stated that his services would be available during the coming year if the ratepayers desired them. The engineer reported that the Lincoln Road culvert at Selwyn Street had been repaired at a cost of £47 16s. The break in Tuam Street had been successfully repaired at a cost of about £4OO. He had again carefully investigated the matter of the flooding of Gordon Avenue. He had caused a section of the creek to be made and had pegs driven from St Albans Lane to Madras Street, a distance of ninety chains. The natural fall of the creek

was very slight, and it would be neces- ' gary to commence, the deepening at Madras Street. ' The estimated cost of tne worx was £515, and to that sum might have to be added the cost of another pipe in St Albans Lane from Gordon Avenue to the creek, which would be about £l5O. Action bad been taken to cut off the flood waters from St Albans creek at Norman's Road, and that would tend to relieve it to some extent. The carrying out of the work .described was the only possible way to cure'the evil complained of at Gordon Avenue. The cost seemed large compared with the area affected, but that was entirely a matter of policy for the Board to decide. Notwithstanding the carrying out of the works trouble might arise in the locality in exceptionally heavy rain floods. The Heathoote Road Board had made application to have an underground sewer laid in Colombo Road between Tennyson Street -and the River Heathcote. The cost would be about £BOO, but the fall was insufficient, and he could not repommend that the application should be entertained. _ The report was adopted. The secretary for the International Exhibition wrote stating that the Exhibition authorities had decided that the best system of drainage from the Exhibition-grounds would be by draining direct to the sewer on Park Terrace, opposite Kilmoro Street. It was agreed that the promoters of the Exhibition should be permitted to f make the connection specified. Letters- were received stating that the values of Spreydon Rp-ad Board ' i district for the current year were:— Rural area, £207,526; sewage • area, £4294. The valuation of the drainage area in the Heathoote district was £352,126, producing a sum of £550 2s id in rates. Nurse: Maude was given permission to place a small water wheel in St Albans Creek" at the back of St Mary’s Home during the summer. Mr Charles Hulston wrote stating that the drain on his property, at the corner of Tennyson Street and Colombo Street, was in a dangerous condition. Messrs Izard and Loughnan, representing Sir Westby Perceval, an owner of property fronting on Tennyson Street, wrote offering to contribute one-third of the cost of covering in the open drain along the street. The letters'were'received, and it was sledded to inquire whether the City Council would share the cost of the .work. Mr Samuels drew attention to tne quantity of silt that was finding its way into the Avon, to the great detriment of the river. He moved that a letter should be'sent to the City Council urging on it the necessity of attending to the silt pits. The motion w§b seconded by Mr Dojvn and was carried. Mr Staples said that he would like to know why the rate for the Riccarton district should have been increased last year. In 1900 the district had paid £1661 in rates, and a sum of £655 had been expended there by the Board. For 1901 the corresponding figures had been £671 and £545, for 1902 £6BB and £584, for 1903 £7ll/and £553, 1904 £538 and £655. During the five years a sum of £4269 had been collected from Riccarton, but only £2892 had been expended on the district, £1377 less than the amount raised. He submitted that during the incoming year, as a matter of equity, no rate should be struck in Riccarton. Several members stated that the difference between the- sums quoted by Mr Staples could be explained by expenditure on office expenses, interest on loans, sinking fund and so on, but Mr Staples contended that his figures Ei ado allowance for all factors, and had eon taken from the Beard’s books.