DRAINAGE BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14929, 29 February 1912, Page 9

DRAINAGE BOARD.

PROGRESS OF WORKS.

THE ARCH HILL GULLY,

The Auckland amd Suburban Drainage Board met last evening. In tho absence of the Mayor, the chair was taken by Mr. A'. J. Entrican, and there were also prosent Messrs. J. C. Gleeson, J. M. Meunie, F. E. N. Gaudin, W. R. Bloomfield, M. Casey, W. T. Michaels, P. J. Nerheny, C. A. Cawkwell, R. S. Briggs, W. H. Murray, D. Teed, and J. Hawkins. The engineer's report on tho progress of the works stated that since tho last meeting a further 200 ft of section 2 of the main sewer in Hobson Bay had been concreted, leaving 2660 ft still to be built. Ac the storage tanks the greater part of the filling was up to the floor level, and preparations were being made for going on. with tho columns and interior walls, the foundations of which were already in. Work on.this contract was not yet progressing at the rate necessary for it to be finished at tho time intended. Tho outfall was now completed for a little over 400 ft, with cradles laid for a further 200 ft. On the No. 1 branch 170 ft of the egg-shaped sewer had been constructed under tho Remuera Road during the month. At the Greenlane end tho sewer had been connected to tho bottom of tho shaft, and at that point only the construction of the shaft had to be completed. The open cut work at tho northern end of the tunnel was proceeding. Tho total length of completed sewer in No. 3 section of tho main sewer in Parnell was 3350 ft. In branch No. 3 tho sewer was practically finished, and pipe-laying would be resumed at once; and similar progress had been made with branch No. 38. In the first section of branch 3 from Hobson Bay 2300 ft of sewer had been made, and 1500 ft in tho long tunnel between Woods' and Fitts' gullies would be speedily built. The extension was proceeding fast and would be completed about the same time as the sewer in the long tunnel. In section sof the main sower in Ponsonby 2700 ft of tunnel had been driven and 370 ft of sewer finished. In No. 4 section (city) 1050 ft of tunnel had been driven. Tho tunnel for branch No. 2, Portland Road, had been driven 1170 ft. In branch 4a, city east, which was being made by day labour, 940 ft of tunnel had been driven, working from four faces. The report was adopted.

The City Council, Grey Lynn and Mount Albert Borough Councils, and the Arch Hill Road Board wrote in reply to the Board's request that connections should bo made nt one© with the Arch Hill gully sewer. The Arch Hill Road Board stated that the matter was under consideration. The request would be complied with as soon as possible, the other 'bodies stating that their part of the work was either finished or proceeding. The engineer was authorised to proceed with the construction of the continuation of branch sewer 7a, Mount Eden West. The cost of the work is estimated at £1650, including the part now being: constructed, manholes, and contingt 1 The screens for an elaborate mechanical plant for removing detritus and other material from the sewage as it enters the storage tanks have to be procured from England, and the Board authorised tho engineer to forward the necessary plans to London. The engineer's estimate for the construction of section 3 of branch sewer No. 5 (Newmarket railway yard to tho old Junction Hotel) is £1200* below the lowest tender for the work, and tho engineer was authorised to carry out the work by day labour. In order to enable small contractors (several of whom have approached the engineer) to tender for the Board's work, it was decided to adopt a recommendation by the engineer that the branch sewers should be subdivided into small sections in letting contracts. The Finance Committee, which had power to act, reported that it had taken the three rooms in the Town Hall offered to the Board by the City Council at a rental of £230 per annum, including tho cost of cleaning, no rates being chargeable. The Board thanked the committee for the arangevnents ii had made for the comfort of the Board. ( On the suggestion of Mr. Bloomfield, it wag decided to offer the use of the room for meeting purposes to the Local Bodies' Association. The Finance Committee recommended that the Board should join with the City Council in purchasing a motor car for the use of the engineer to the Board and Council, the two bodies to share the cost. The committee stipulated that the car should not cost more than £550, and that the arrangement to share tho cost of maintenance should hold for a year as an experiment.