DUNEDIN DRAINAGE BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15301, 15 November 1911, Page 10

DUNEDIN DRAINAGE BOARD.

A PLEASANT FUNCTION. WORK OF THE BOARD REVIEWED. Somo 25 Ecntlomon wore present at tho Drairmgo Board's pumping station yesterday morning to colcbrato tho official openhix of dm now electrically driven pumping engino, Among tho6o present woro tho chairman (Mr J. Arkle), and membora of Iho board, tho Major (Mr W. Burnett). Messrs T. K. Sidoy, and G. M, Thomson, M.P.'s, Crs M'Doimld, tho town dorks of tho city and St. Kilda, Mr A. Slinger (engineer to tho tod), Mr J. Blair Mason (engineer to tho Harbour Board), Mr W. D. 11. M'Ourdio (city engineer), and Mr W. Jacobsou (engineer at tho pumpjni station). Ono of the two 125h.p. Diesel engines was then started up to demonstrate the rase an<f quickness with which it could commence pumping operations if required in caso of oniorgency, and afterwards tlio new electrically driven motor pump was switched on.

At tho lunchcon which followed Mr J. Smull (chairman of the Works of tho board) said their idea in installing tho continuous pumping plant .was to improvo tho existing arrangements. At tho present time there was not, and never would be, sufficient sowago in dry weather to kcop one of tho laitfo Diesel ongines going. As a result they had to allow tho sowago to Accumulate in tho tank till thoro was n sufficient quantity for tho engino tcoporato on, and as a consequence tlio sowago and water wero backed into tho sowers nnd tho sedinwnt foil to tho bottom. Tho smaller continuous pumping plant now installed would keep the sowago on tho flow, and thoro would bo lets aril in the sewers and less noxious gases found as well. Continuing, the speaker stated that tho amount of storm water from an ordinary Dunedin rainfall of Jin for 24 hours camo to 551,000,000. gallons; but of course it wes not noccftsary, and it wou|d 'bo irnpossible to deal with that water by pumping a considerable portion finding its way into tho harbour.. the.Leith, and tho ocean off Forbury.' As regarded tho now motor pumping plant, tho engino ran at the rate of 500 revolutions |>or 'minute and pumped 4600 gallons per minute. Tho motor was of 70 brako horso power. Mr J. J. Marlow proposed tho health rj tho new Parjuimint, coupled with tho names of Mesw Sidoy and Thomson. Mr Sicfey, in reply, Mid ho did not think tho meinbcw of tno board, as a board, had any roason to find fault with Parliament, becauso ho believed thorn had hardly boon a session during tho timo ho had been in tho Hoiwc that they had not hed a bill beforo it.— (laughter.) Tho first session in''which ho participated us a member ho had a big light to provent tho exclusion of an area in tlio Knikorai watershed from tlio operations of tho board. However, his opposition had" been unsuccessful, and thp area had boon excluded. It was with somn amusement, therefore, that ho noticed that tho very persons who had fiot tho area referred to excluded in those days wero jus: ns anxious to get tho Roslyn watershed reincluded in the city area to-day. and they had 'keen successful in thoir endeavours.— (Laughter.) Mr Thomson also replied. lie said that ono Ihiup that had, pleased him in connection with their PaMiawent was tho unanimity with which tho four Duncdip members worked together, Ho lioped and trusted tlvit any other"members who mig.it represent them in Parliomont_ would 1 he as loyal as tho nrcsont Dimcdin mombo's were. As regarded the Drainage Board, ho did not think tho citizens of Dunedin had 'ever extended tlio full mcasuro of praiso- to tho efficient work done year by year by its members.—(Applause.) Mr Sidoy. then proposed tlw health of tho members of tho Drainago Board; and spoke in n vory eulogistic strain of tho way tho board 1 had surmounted tho many difficulties with which it had to contend. Th» Chairman, in reply, said tho first board meeting was held on Octbbcr 21, 1901, when a loan of £<25.000 waa floated. Of this amount £334,030 had been spent in' drainaßO. N Tho main sewer along tho North-East Valley Main road and tho reticulation of Selwjn and Glenroy .had now been oomplotod, and tho board's men were now pushing along with tho reticulation of the Opoho side. Up to the prusont timo tlio sum of £9704 13s 4d had been spent on work in tho Valloy. Tho drainago in Maori Hill was now completed with the exception of tho Balmacowon area, and all tfco urea of the Roslyn district 011 tho Dunedin sido of tho untorshed had also been finished. In Morninaton the drainage was completed from. Belleknoww to tho area going into tho Glen, and the board had commenced tho reticulation of Caversham. With tho oxocption of that portion bounded by Macandrow road, King Edward street, and Bay View road, tlio drainago of South Dimcdin had also been attended to, A precis of the rest of tho work being conducted by tlio Drainago Board was read by tho chairman as follows:—City of Dunedin; Various works havo been dono,• somo of which aro remodelling tho city towors. Reticulation of _ blocks—Stuart street to Albany strwt, Union street, along Cumberland stroet to Brook streot, Duko street from Sec Houso. All that area at the rear of Railway Station. Continuation of Main newer atari? Leith street to Gardens. Tlio most part of tho area unwweml is now being treated St. Kilda: Work done and boing done.—Main sower as far as Main aronuo, Queen's drive, and Royal crescent, block between drivo and King Edward street. Tho board has spent £15,164 on work dono in this borough. St. Clair: This work has now been authorised and will bo cone on with) as soon as tlio main wwer along Day Viow road is completed. Continuing, the 'speaker said tho Lawyer's Hoad outfall had proved a great suoeoss, and tho pcoplo of £)un«lin did not knoA the valuo of that ocean outfall to the city. Somo six years ago thoro had •been a groat 9Utcry, and a lot of corrcspondcnco in tlio press about tlio outfall at Lawyer's . Head.. It• was. faid> that tho towage 'would polluto Bird Island and tho foroshorc. and- causo a' nuisani* in other ivajf. However, nana,of,,the 'things .prophesied had como to pass.. Tho .outlet was now costing them nothing. To their engineer (Mr Slingor) wos duo the credit of tno siicccis of tho working of tho outfall sewer. As regarded their pumping station, tho speaker snht tho sum of £1360 per ycor was allocated for its maintenance: Ho referred to tho fact that in tho plumbing department tho board had been pretty strict to boo that tlio work 'was carried out in a tradosmanliko manner, and this, nf course, benefited tho citizens, and ho statod that tho hoard had been instrumental in assisting tho ratepayers by connecting their houses for them, tlio cost so incurred b6ing lent by the board at .a chargo of 6 per cenL By tho installing of . tho cdectno motor llioy would savo a sum of about £600 per annum for oil, and keep their money to lie spent on labour in thoir own country.— (Applauso.) TJiC' speakor concluded by stating that tho ratoablo value of tho city drainage onoo camo to £582,953, producing a revenue of £21,634 18s. boing an inewa«)c approximately of £3497 on tho previous year.—(Applause.) Several other toasts were proposed and responded to, tho engineer (Mr Slinger) coming in for special praiso for tho way in which he hnd carried out the work which had come under IILI supervision.