CITY DRAINAGE SCHEME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13455, 4 June 1907, Page 5

CITY DRAINAGE SCHEME.

PROPOSED OUTFALL AT OBAKEI. A PRELIMINARY INSPECTION. A preliminary .step in connection with ; : the * proposed city drainage scheme. was token yesterday afternoon, when a visit was paid by the Mayor and several coun- ' cillors ;to Orakei, for the purpose of inspecting the proposed point of outfall fcr, ; the system advocated by Mr. Midgloy Taylor, endorsed by the city engineer, and adopted by the Council a few weeks ago. i. The visit was made in the Harbour Board's launch, those present consisting of the ; Mayor (Mr. A. M. Myers), Messrs. C. Grey, L. J- Baguall, R. Tudehope, G. Knight, and R. Farrell (councillors), and the town clerk (Mr. H. W. Wilson), and i the city engineer (Mr. W. E. Bush). The Harbour Board's engineer (Mr. W. H. Hanicr) was also present. The party landed at- the Orakei Wharf, and walked round to the native reserve at the head of the bay, •where, in accordance with the city engineer's recommendation, a considerable area of land is to be acquired in connection with the scheme. ' . - With a view to providing for the needit of the city for some considerable time to come it is proposed to acquire about 100 acres. There is not sufficient level land in the locality to give this area, but the balance may'bo made, up by reclamation. This land is required as a site for the storage tanks, which will be necessary, and also should it be found desirable at any future time, to allow of the construction of tanks and bacteria beds for the partial purification of the effluent before discharge into the tidal waters. It is proposed to. seek Parliamentary sanction to " the acquisition of the land in question, and a Bill dealing with the matter will, in all probability, be introduced during the Coming session. The, necessary survey will be made, at once. • ' Mr. Bush exhibited charts showing the result of tho float experiments carried out by him in December and January last. As the result of these tests Mr. Bush states that he is of opinion that, provided the outfall pipe is taken out 700 ft or 800 ft, the sewage will be discharged into the true tidal current, and carried out through the Rangitoto Channel to the open sea. ■:/' With the view of enlisting the co-opera-tion of the suburban bodies in the matter, a conference of representatives of the City Council and the various borough councils, aid road boards will be held next week.