THE ABTTOIRS DRAINAGE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2456, 10 April 1901, Page 9

THE ABTTOIRS DRAINAGE.

THE INSPECTOR FINED

At the City Police Court on the 2nd, before Mr C. C. Graham, S.M., William Snowball vas charged with, on the 26th March, discharging blood water into the Kaikorai Stream at Bumside, so as to pollute the said stream.

Mr Hosking appeared for the Taieri County Council,' the prosecutors in the case, and Mr J. R. Sinclair for the defendant.

Mr Hosking said that Mr Snowball was the inspector of the abattoirs, and explained that the blood-of the animals killed there was boiled in large tanks. The solid matter, as far as it was possible to do so, was taken away, and th& water, mixed with the blood, was cast into th& Kaikorai Stream. It flowed along tho stream until it reached the sea, but in several parts it created an offensive smell, and was regarded by many inhabitants a3 exceedfngly dangcious. The matter -had been before the court on a previous occasion, when the defendant was fined 20s and costs. It was understood then that the corporation weie to take steps to have a pipe diam put down, so that the refuse should be carried away without being offensive to the public, or likely to cause danger to health, but, so far as could be ascentained, nothing had been done bejond a more survey being made of the course over which the pipes were to run. That, he believed, occurred 15 rncnths ago.

Mr Sinclair- Six months

Mr Hosking : It is 15 months ago since the corporation first promised to lay the pipes. Nothing had been done, and so far no tendeis have been called for the work. One effect of the nuisance was that the polluted matter of the stream, which was used for the engines of various factories below the point at which the refuse was dischaiged, got into the safely valves, and the engines often had to blow off steam to prevent the boilos fiom bursting. The Tai?ri County Council were taking action m the interest of the public, and because they consideied the corporation should at once take steps to abate the nui=ance.

Mr Sinclair said that Mr Snowball proposed to plead guilty. He was not m a position to admit the facts as stated by his learned fnend, because he thought that the trouble was attnbutable to other causes besides the one now being inquired into by the court Mr Hoskmg had said that some of the residents and nullowners suffered damage owing to the foul condition of the water, but his Worship ■would probably be aware of the fact that theie v/eie many manufactories on the bank of the nver in the locality in question, &ud while it was a fact that the present defendant contributed somewhat to the pollution of the stream, it could scarcely be suggested that he was wholly responsible for what took r>lace. He was surprised to hear his learned fnend say that ho was not aware that the coiporation had done anything m the direction of carrying out the scheme for laying the pipes beyond pieparing plans. His Worship would leadily sec that m a case where pipes had to be carried a considerable distance through the lands of different persons it was not a matter that could b_e coinpleied within a coiupaiatively short

time. Each owner of propeity to be dealt with had to be consulted, and thr> course taken by the corporation had been adopted for the extreme puipose ot saving as much time as possible. if th >y had to take the lands by proclamation, a id had to have their values assessed undei the Pu'jL; Works Act, that would be a v€»"y long and slew process, and would probably take a mu;h longer time than the method the corporation had adopted — namely, to treat with each owc:r ior the right to carry the pipes thiough their lands. As a matter of fact, but for the death of one owner, the matter would have been adjusted, and Mr Hay would be m a position, as scon as matters were airanged with that deceased gentleman's representatives, to call fpr tenders for th-e job.

Robert Hay, civil engineer, said that the work •would invoKe an expenditure of £6000. The work, he thought, would be- completed m eight months after the contract was let.

Inspector Bam, employed by the^ Taieri County Council, mentioned that there was a likelihood of proceedings being taken against another party for polluting the stream.

His Worship said that he iiould double the fine this time, and if reasonable precautions v/tre not taken to abate the nuisance it would be for Mr Bain to again take action.

Mr Sinclair. Every effort will be made to prevent any further pollution of the stream.

Hl3 Worship mentioned that when the abattoirs were first erected it was understood that no nuisance of this kird would be created. He inflicted a fine of 40s r.nd costs.