THE CITY COUNCIL AND PONSONEY DRAINAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10129, 12 May 1896, Page 5

THE CITY COUNCIL AND PONSONEY DRAINAGE.

NEGLECT OF THE WARD MEMBERS. A fkw weeks ago typhoid fever broke out in Wood-street, Ponsonby, there is reason to believe, from the non-drainage of Arthurstreet and a defective street cesspit, A petition was got up, signed by every householder, tenant, or person interested in property in Arthur-street, praying that the City Council would put in a pipe drain connecting with the city sewage system at the north end of the street. The petition also cuntained a clause signed by the residents of Ponaonby Roacj interested in the carrying out of the uncompleted drain from opposite Vermont-street to Mr. A, Boardman's property, to abate the nuisance of the household drainage being poured out into the street channel as in Arthurstroet. The petition was put into the hands of Mr. W. Thome, one of the Ponsonby ward members, for presentation to the City Council. In the meantime, the defective cesspit in Arthur-street was repaired, and the street channel containing the household sewage flushed two or three times from the street hydrants. Apart from that, nothing has been done by anyone to remedy the I just complaint of the householders. The petition was referred to the Streets Committee, and the Streets Committee 'referred it to the Engineer. Ib ii not known whether the Engineer has been able to refer it to anyone else yet, but a motion was brought up apparently to burke the petition that the Engineer report on the condition of the whole city drainage, and that is the last that the unfortunate petitioners have ever heard of the business, either from the ward representatives or the Council. In the meantime the insanitary state of things has got worse in Ponsonby Road, in the section above referred to, through new buildings, which could not be drained, in default of a sower, in any other way than Into the street channel. In Arthur-stroet the Rev. H. Bull, of St. John's Weslejan Churoh, has been very unfortunately situated. He signed the petition heartily, and expressed the hope something would be done to remedy matters. All the drainage of tlio houses from Ratastreet northwards passes his front door in an open channel, latterly the smell has been so bad that he has used disinfectants, but all his precautions havo been in vain. Yesterday a mninbor of his family was found to be suffering from typhoid, and was removed in the ambulance to the District Hospital. Much sympathy is felt for the family, as Mr. Bull has only recently recovered from a severe attack of sickness himself. Tho whole works in Arthur-street, aod in the missing link in Ponsonby Road, which would make the drainage complete and the locality healthy, would only cost £ 160— estimate of the City Engineer. While this expenditure is objected to on the ground of no funds, it is seriously proposed ta expend £25,000 on a playground, and some members have been clamouring to increase the salaries of some of the highest paid officials of the city. It is much more important that ratepayer? should have a fair chance for their lives, in having properly drained streets, than that luxuries of a non-essential character should have large sums lavished upon them. A serious responsibility will rest upon the members for Ponsonby and the Connoil, if by thoir neglect they allow Ponsonby to be soourged by typhoid fever,