SEWAGE IN HARBOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15887, 7 April 1915, Page 8

SEWAGE IN HARBOUR.

DISCHARGE AT WRONG TIME. BROUGHT UP BY TIDE. HARBOURMASTER'S REPORT. A kepobt unon the subject of the discharge of sewage at Orakei was received from the harbourmaster, Captain Sergeant at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board. The report, which was dated March 26, stated that on March 23 the sewer outlet was opened one hour and a-halt before high water, and that the sewage set in under the Orakei Wharf, a portion of it setting up the harbour. With the turn of the tide upon the same day the sewage set towards Bean Rock Lighthouse, settling in that vicinity. A very careful look-out had been kept by the signalman on Mount Victoria since November 1 last and a daily record entered in the log-book of the times of discharge of sewage as well as the direction of the set of the same, which could be very clearly seen from this position. " I find by the record," continued the harbourmaster, "that in the majority of cases the sewage set in a north-east direction, passing on the south side of the Bean Rock Lighthouse and settling down in that vicinity, near the Bastion reef. Frequently the discharge has taken place too late for the ebb tide to carry the sewage for any distance. In such cases it has been brought back by the flood tide under the Orakei Wharf, settling down near Orakei Wharf and towards Hobson Point." The chairman, Mr. J. H. Gunson, moved that the report be referred to the board in committee Mr. A. J. Lntrican referred to the exhaustive data compiled by the board's engineer before the board granted its sanction to the present sewerage system. The present position appeared to indicate that the matter could be easily rectified by a revision of the times of discharging the sewage. There bad been no complaint of any nuisance having arisen. He thought that the matter might well be left to the Harbour Board and Drainage Board's engineers. Mr. J. 11. Braduey said that he believed that if fresh observations as to the sets of the tides were made it would produce a very different result to that obtained before the present tide deflectors, and reclamations were constructed. Mr. E. W. Alison said that the harbourmaster's report indicated a danger of the sewage being carried back on to the beaches on the south side of the harbour. He suggested that further tests should be made to ascertain whether the sets of the tides had been altered, as indicated by Mr. Bradney. Mr. W. E. Hutchison said that it seemed that all that was required was a little more attention to the proper times for discharging the sewage. The chairman said that in November last he instructed the signalman at Mount Victoria to keep the record mentioned in the harbourmaster's report. It was the duty of the board to take care that the operation of the sewerage system did not bring about unsatisfactory results. There was absolutely no change in the tides as indicated by Mr. Bradney as the result of the construction of the board's works. It seemed to be largely a question of carelessness in the times df the discharge of the sewage, and he believed that if proper care were taken the matter would be rectified. Mr. Alison suggested that copies of the harbourmaster's report be sent to the Drainage Board and the City Council. The chairman said that this was a matter that could be decided by the board in committee. The motion to refer the matter to the board in committee was agreed to.