WESTMERE LAKE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XII, Issue 9413, 7 May 1879, Page 3

WESTMERE LAKE.

The following 1 isi the report presented to the Borough Cpun6il last night by the medical gentlemen "wHo -'were appointed to inspect the lake :— ' ' ■' To the Mayoi^ and Councilloes of the ••''„" <; Bokough of Wanganui.

Gentlemen,— We have Tisite'd the lake at your request, and herewith present Tour reporti'upbnit.JWe naye'examined the 1 margins and surroundings, arid hive 'obtained other information. ' The report sent to'y'du by Dr Hector'sta&s that the proportion of, organic matter is- "rather high;" ; but wetiave learnt from, Mr 'Brookine: th'at'the 'water," •supplied to Dr Hector was taken from thei stream thafc enters at the y 'nortli «nd of the, lake, so that, perhaps little imprpveinent is toj Lbe ikpecte'd 4n- this 'amount ; tint we thiiJki that the condition ■of a"large r parfc of thej margin of.tMlaKefs si^ch as to favour the! r growth;anfl:tieathTSf still niofebrganrcrnaTfer and to injurioußly affect) tbe water . This fresh development of vegetable organic matter is caused fty,'the exposure of, f the ,bed ; of the Jake alonsrits margin, <sbVerea only T>y a* thin laverof water, to the action! of the sun, and obtains all round the lake, but principally in three. places-H 7< • / ./. Ist. Along the'geptly sloping beach thai , reaches from £h,e brickwork at t the outlet, to the upper lirnifepf the home§^ad,and perhaps furthur. " ( „'-)' '■•/:,);; . 2nd. Over the flax covered area stretching' from the infall to" theoldeheepwash, and, over the 'tongue ,of" land on wliich the ahedp-j ■ wash stands.' t This lapt .part, as seen ,af ,our •Tisit and yours', wasliot 1 covered with' water,, but it is co ia-3vJnter r whe,n the lake is 'at 'its l highest, and 'oi^the, gradual fall of water in.i , the summer, wilf Wstagnant and offensive. •' 3rd. Similarly with the raupp.swampyat, the soufch-eastcorn'er of thelake, wliich now' Js down, bnfc in winter is, coyeied with "water to a large extent. ..'This in supiimer will be' 'stagnant and offensive. With a view to, remedy these- faults, we think it should be your endeavour to have all round thelake a, margin, upright d^'nearly sb^' impervious tO| soakage, 'of sucfr. a Height that the water would not ovejflb'w 'it in winter. The depth i of water close to I 'the margin should beat! least two feefc six inches, when the water is! • at the highest level allowed by the present' sluice, This would probably alw.ays 1 leate, 1 < even at the end- of sunM'eH a depth bf'l2 1 inches above the-soil forifiing the' bed Of the ' lake at its margin. The wa.teVsjiould not be, • allowed, therefore, to flow af the now •dry- swamp, nor over the tongue on which is / the sheep wash. The flax-covered, area should '. be destroyed by filling in or removal. ' ' There are two other sources of injury to the 1 • water — & pigstye, and two ceES pits.' The pigstye is too near to the margin of the lake, and should, be removed to the farthur side of . : the homestead. .The cesspits/ distant respectively, one and >tw6- chains from the margin/ should be cleared out and ; filled up with earth, and earth closets shouid be supplied, . to beoemptied .at regular intervals,* and their contents deposited at a distance from the lake. "-r..,sM .if.- - . * •' '- «'^ !

There isicfitenimore 6x less flbculent matter ■ in the water, especially in very windy weather.] We think- that -;this; should' be removed by' passing the water thrdugh'a 1 filter bed of sand and; gralv.el; placed" between the lake and the reseryflir. The strainers at present existing^ .although nsefnj, have no efleof^ on a great deal of tile finest material. r -. { * We have not received any definite inatrttc* t tionti a^'to;?lje; report, required Jofi us, 'but we sha|l be willing. to.jSupply,,, as far, qs we are' able! anybuiDg omitted that you had expected! •dtttm;^"" 1 : ' '"':; • "I . :-; ,f!')lS I ,i-) : '•, , H.iDONAI/DSOlfj '• ; , ,;- yi it- by.(,:. AethurTaylor{.-> |