THE UNDERGROUND DRAINAGE SCHEME.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXI, Issue 12476, 13 September 1904, Page 4

THE UNDERGROUND DRAINAGE SCHEME.

A BILL TO BE PREPARED. At last night's meeting of the Timaru Borough Council, the Mayor, in the course of his usual statement on opening the meeting, said that since the previous meetting the greater part of two nights had been Sjpent in discussing details of the underground- drainage scheme, and a resolution had been passed authorising him to conviene a public meeting of ratepayers to consider the scheme. According to the Act, it would take several weeks to cany out the preliminaries,* as the meeting must be advertised for four weeks, then a week must elapse before the meeting could be held, and at least ten days more before .a poll could be taken. It was necessary to get a JSill put through the House to authorise the work, and as the session was about half through, he was afiaid that before they could get the authority of the ratepayers, it would be too late to get the Bill put through. He therefore suggested that the Bill should be prepared at once, and sent up to the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones to get it passed, otherwise tljey might be too late to get it through this year. He had inquired of their member, and got a reply that," as the Bill would be a Local Bill, it would not cost the Council anything, except for drafting and advertising. He would recommend that the Bill be prepared and forwarded as soon as possible, and the Hon. W. Hall-Jones would take charge of it and put it through. Unless that was done at once, the whole thing would (most likely be hung up for another 'year. .Among the eorrespondence were the fol-lowing-letters bearing on this subject: Councillor writing on the 7th inst., asked for leave of absence for a month. He regretted having to be ab--1 sent at the present , time, but trusted that the ratepayers would endorse the Mayor's action by voting for the underground drainage scheme, which should commend itself to everyone as the means for making Timaru, as it ought to be, the healthiest spot in New Zealand. A telegram from the Town Clerk, Wellington, dated Bth inst., was received as follows, in reply to an enquiry by Mr Marchant:—"Wellington works under Wellington Drainage Empowering Act. 1894, which see. Corporation does nothinp beyond providing main sewers. In case' where owners without sufficient means corporation advances money for drainage works with are carried out in usual way by licensed plumbers." Among the resolutions passed bv thr committee last Friday night, nnd read t< the Conncil, was one proposed by Cow l cillors Waite and Wallace—"That"the fir ther discussion of the drainage, proposal: ba postponed till Monday night, and ths Mr Marchant. be asked to attend."—Ttnwas lost, only mover and seconder rotin< for it.

At a later stage in last night's meeting Councillor Hawkey moved' and Councillr. Sealey .seconded—"That a, Bill be drafte" re underground drainage and forwarded 1' the Minister of Public Works with a viev of having it passed this session of Parljcment. >

Councillor Hawkey said he moved this tsave time. If they waited until the no' was taken the session would be over be for H;e Bill could reach Wellington. Tlv Bill was to cost- nothing to go thrcug! *he House; and if the scheme was reject?' by the poll, the Bill would be there, reader? f ay °urnble poll at some other time. The Mayor said that if they did n< ■ o that, th-y would not get* the Til "■■hroiigh 'his session. * _Councillor' Woite said he did not soway de-r to vote for Hie nintir:.. was r"s!iin<? things rather (on m The position was an awkward one. as seemed they were pushed for lime. ft' it did not seem wise to go on with th Bill until the ratepayers liad had a say

in the matter. So far everything had been done in committee, and the ratepayers had no idea of what the Council intended to do. He anticipated that the session would be a long one, and that they would have plenty of time to get the Bill through, after the meeting of ratepayers. It would cost a good deal of money to get the BUI, and some ratepayers might object to that expense being gone to before thev had approved of the scheme. He felt sure that this scheme would be approved, but if the ratepayers thought the Council were rushing things too much, that might tell against the scheme. It would be a great mistake to rush things, especially as all their discussions had been held in committee.

The Mayor explained in reply, that six or seven weeks must elapse before a poll could be taken, and a Bill must be ad* vertised six weeks. It would be the proper thing to do to take the opinion of the ratepayers first, but if they did that the House would be closed, and they would have no chance of passing the Bill this year. If the Bill were passed .they could go on' the work if the ratepayers approved. Councillor Guinness remarked that the close of a session was always crowded with business, and a late Bill would not have much chance of passing. The Mayor said they could not possibly get the Bill through this session if they waited for the ratepayers' meeting. "They might do it if they were quick about it and did not wait- for the meeting. Councillor Hawkey said that if they did not get this scheme there was some very expensive work waiting for them on the beach. They should get it through if they could. - Councillor Waite said no one was more keen for underground drainage than himself, but he did not like rushing things or the appearance of it. The Bill would cost a fair amount" of money.—(The Town Clerk : 30 to 35 guineas.)—lf the ratepayers rejected the scheme that money would be thrown away. Councillor Hawkey : We eould try again next vear.

Councillor Hawkey's motion was then put and carried without dissent, Councillor Waite saying he would not vote against