BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 184, 11 July 1883, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

ENGINEERS BEPORT. I Lave the honor to report for the ' iast month as follows : — General work: ; Phe deepening of the Ferguson- street train has been completed by the conractor as far as the lagoon, east of fttzhorbert-street, aud the balance to Princess-street by the Borough men. tn forming Princess-street the contractor made a mistake m the depth of the Jraiu and cue it too deep m placos. This it was not necessary to have refilled m, because the mud held m suspense by the water coming from the brick-yard would quickly deposit m the low places. Immediately on the arrival of the timber I had the culvert m Main-street fronting Kairanga Road put m as far as the railway. Resides the culverting m Botanical Road drain, the Borough men have had to cub several necessary outlets for water and take up and clear old drains, besides repairs to the metalling. On Saturdays I employ all the nru on the Square water-tables. These when properly cleared will not require bo much attention. I also keep Hill almost wholly engaged upon street repairs with the horse and dray. DRAINAGE. The exceptionally heavy drains of the 24th and 25fch June afforded a good tost of the drainage works iv their present incomplete form, and I am glad to report that the heavy body of w?\ter coming on the drains was removed rapidly and well. The culverting of the Botanical Road drain through the press of other urgent works haa not beon completed for the projected length f ne drain was however opened for two days to relieve the extra pressure of watrrin Ferguson-street, otherwise the Fergnsan-street drain water has been diverted by way of Main^street to the Kawau temporarily. Strong complaints have been made to me about the water from nnder the terrace being added to the already overloaded Kawau creek by settlers effected thereby ; but I have explained to them that th* diversion ot the water to the Kawau is only a tern - porary expedient, rendered necessary during the culverting of the Borough main outfall drain m Botanical Road. That low-lying porti-n of Fitzherbertstreet near College-streec, baa the water ran off as rapidly as it gathered by way ot College-street by Mr Batt's property cleared m a few hours. This I especially remark because a complaint was made -by-Mr-i3ntt of tho water m front of his house. When I laid off College-street for formation, the water stood permanently over all this section of College, street for the winter mouths. Now it is all cleared off after the heavy rain ceases, and when the intended connection with the Ferguson-street drain is made even the little inconvenience will be removed. An evidently furnished "local" appeared m the Standard complaining of the accumulation of water at Mr Wollerman's, aud the insufficient size of a culvert. There is a culvert across Fitzherbert-street which is rather small, which may be the one referred to. This was not put m by mo, and further taking into account the limited amount of money available, I did not consider its want of capicity sufficient to wa rant the cost of putting m a new one. As regards the other portion of the complaint, to show unreasonableness of the same, I would remark that the old and only previous channel— the natural water course under the Terrace through Wollerman's land, has not bgen interfered with or closed by the Borough, but remain's so far as the street crossings are concerned with the same discharge previous capacity as m previous years . The . open drain down Boundary Road West is cut to almost the full width available, but the volume of water brought to it during heavy rain is greater than the drain can remove. The three drainage areas, consisting of of those north and south of Boundary Road East and the overflow of the Kawau, may be considered aslegitimate; but the fourth influx by way of the Rangitikei Road side drain can not be so classed. If this drain could be closed within the Borough Boundary it would be of great advantage. Considering the limited amount spent upon drainage to the present time, the results obtained are tully commensurate with the outlay incurred. River Works. The groin has been completed. The piles m the stream end and m ths bastions have been successfully driven to an average depth of six feet under the riverbed. Some trouble was caused at the shore end through timber. I was down at the river on both the days when the stream was high, and found that the calculations made when the groin was designed, of its effect upon the course of the stream, were borne out. Similar groins erected m other countries have also stood very heavy flood pressure. I have faith m this groin proving equally stable m New Zealand rivers. hou Id my opinion prove correct m this instance confidence will be given to their more pst^n>lpd use.