THE DRAINAGE SCHEME.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13265, 20 April 1907, Page 4

THE DRAINAGE SCHEME.

Tlie questions asked by the correspondent who writes to us this morning with reference to the underground drainage scheme, have already been dealt with by the Mayor in the course of his addresses to meetings of ratepayers, but if the position of property-owners lias not yet been explained to the satisfaction of the public,

Ib is just as well Unit these enquiries 1 ' should be repented before the poll is taken next week. As rcgai-ds tho in-iucipal question—the cost of the scheme to tho individual owner —• there are only two things to be considered. These are tho rate proposed to be levied in connection with the drainage loan, and the cost of house connections over and above the amount which will bo advanced by Lite 1 Council. The rate is to be sixpence in tho pound of the annual value, so that no ratepayer need bo in any doubt as to lis liability on that head. In regard to the connections, the information given by the Mayor at his second meeting on Wednesday evening seemed to make it pretty clear that tha sum which the Council propose to advance. will be sufficient to cover the average installation. Some, connections of course will be much more difficult and expensive to make than others, but in no casa will the Council provide more than £lO towards the expense. Anything over that amount will have to be found by the owner concerned, but if the Mavor's figures are worth anything; the £lO should be sufficient to meet the cost of making the connections in the majority of cases. On Wednesday night Mr Craigie gave, the de'•fcailed items of connections made in Masterton, the total amounting to £ll ,4s 6d, from which has to. bo deducted, borough fees amounting to 16s, thus reducing the cost almost to tho £lO which is to be allowed in Timaru by the Borough Council. We. should judge, therefore, that the cost of making the necessary connection will not press -unduly upon any property-owner, but it must ba understood that in expressing this opinion we are. relying entirely upon the figures which the Mayor hks laid before the irablic. In respeTct to the first question raised by our correspondent, we could wish that Mr Craigie had been mora explicit when the same query was put to him on Wednesday evening. It will be necessary, we should think, for the Council to insist upon every house being connected with the system, but the Council have apparently given no consideration to the point. When he was asked the question tho other evening, Mr Craigie said " there had been no mentioiKof compulsion yet, and he did not expect that compulsion would bo necessary. A man would be foolish if he did not take advantage of the drain when it passed his house in the street, and he got £lO towards the cost of it." If ratepayers want something more definite than that, we can only refer fliem to the Mayor himself. '.■ j