THE OTTO DRAINAGE SCHEME.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11301, 20 December 1898, Page 6

THE OTTO DRAINAGE SCHEME.

TO THE EMTOU.

Sir,—When 1 read Mr Mestayer's report on the drainage of the city it 3eemed to me that there was a danger of ..the corporation accepting it as a final and conclusive solution of the question, coming as it did from such, an authority, notwithstanding'the views _of other experts, and of the corporations which have-adopted leas wasteful methods of sewage disposal'in their respective localities. '' The fact'of your columns being_ generously open to tho public for the expression of views on-public questions must be my excuse for giving vent to the strong feelings which are entertained by many persons who have been impressed with the comparative value of other approved methods, even at the risk of censure, when calling in question the decisions of so great an authority as Mr Mestayer. It can be generally inferred in what direction public opinion is veering when an expert is preparing a report, and from the fact of employing one who has given his attention more particularly to a certain style or mode, it might be judged that on such previously traversed and familiar lines a report would be likely to be made to run.' ■ Not only have excellent results been obtained in Glasgow and elsewhere in Scotland, as mentioned by Dr de Lautour, by chemicals, precipitation, and filtration, but also at Birmingham, as mentioned by Councillor Clusholm, of which J can speak from personal experience, having drawn publio attention to the fact several years ago in your columns, instancing also tho sewage farm as Notting-'

Some time ago, when the British Association for the Advancement of Science held their annual meeting in Birmingham, Alderman Avory, of world-wide weighing-machine fame, who had devoted his energies to grappling with the sewage-problem until he had brought it to a more satisfactory issue in his own city, took the greatest pleasure in conducting a party, o£ which I happened to be a member at the time, over the sewage-works, and over the farm, .with its fine sleek dairy cows and magnificent produce. .Thus to .see . the transformation of a nuisance into smiling crops and well-fed cattle, which afforded a supply of good milk and cream at a reasonable price, to the public, as, well as good vege-. tables, and to hear,also,that.all these results : considerably lightened.the burdena of the tax-, payer, was as, impressive as pleasing to all those who afterwards partook of his princely hospitality. . Notwithstanding the discouraging remarks of Councillor Solomon, who contends that there is no analogy between a ■precipitation scheme in Glasgow or Birmingham and one in Dunedin, there is the opinion ofthe mayor, and others, who thought that the refuse could be more readily disposed of than in Glasgow. If there be sufficient ground for entailing the expense of another report, as tothb feasibility of the alternative plan; by an expert familiar with such schemes, it may yet be the good fortune of the ratepayers, and their children for generations to come, to see a handsome return for their expenditure. The limeworks are not far off, and labour is likely to cheapen as mouths multiply. To deliberately waste such a valuable product entails consequences which can only now 'be imperfectly estimated; but with the rapid expenditure of our guano deposits, and amid the warning voice of the president of the British Association for the ■ Advancement of Science sounding in our oars as to the exhaustion of nitrogen, it appears to be a crime to posterity to perform the work as suggested,when equally efficient and far more economical results are within reach.—l am, etc., '„, ' J. Ward. Dunedin, December J.l.