NORTH SHORE DRAINAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22948, 28 January 1938, Page 13

NORTH SHORE DRAINAGE

Sir, —I have road with interest the report of the Commission recently appointed to enquire into certain matters arising out of the drainage scheme for the City and its environs. That commission, as was admitted by it, went beyond the scope of its order of referonce, and recommended that the position with regard to the North Shore should be forthwith investigated with a, view to provision being made for an adequate sewage disposal system. It would seem, however, that the question of finance is likely to play a part in the final selection of a drainage system for the North Shore, in the same way that it is likely to affect the choice of a scheme for the Southern side of the Harbour. If the City and other areas 011 the Southern shore must collect and treat their sewage at Brown's Island, then would it not be advisable to concentrate there also all the sewage from the North Shore when that area shall be found to be capable of bearing the cost. Mr. Watkins in his report stated that the division of the proposed drainage district comprised in his report into two areas, viz., the Southern and the Northern, was made to permit of an independent main sewerage system being considered for each area, as it would be unduly costly and unnecessary in his opinion to concentrate the flow of sewage from both areas to one point of discharge. But, I ask, is it unnecessary, and would bo unduly costly in the long run. I wish to make it clear that the Waitemata County and more particularly the inhabitants of the Takapuna Hiding of that county will never tolerate the schemo for tho North Shore as propounded by the Drainage Board's engineer, providing as it does for an outlet and treatment works in the midst of our beaches and health and pleasure resorts. I say, in all seriousness, and with all respect, that the sooner the Auckland and Suburban Drainage Board, the Auckland Harbour Board and the Health Department recognise that tho County's attitude is the correct and only sane one, and that it must ultimately bo upheld by the powers that be, then the sooner will tho problem for the North Shore be solved. Let those bodies with the Local Authorities directly concerned formulate a scheme which will be free from tho obnoxious features of tho scheme already proposed, or let remedial measures be put into operation. It is noted that the Commission does not sponsor in any way tho North Shore scheme proposed by the Auckland Drainage Board. The Waitemata County has been fighting that proposal for almost six years, and we say as we have said often before: "Hands Off the East Coast Beaches." J. C. Rennie, Hiding member, Takapuna Hiding.