The Waikato Times, THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE, AND KAWHIA ADVOCATE. Established Thirty-Four Years. THE OLDEST DAILY NEWSPAPER IN THE WAIKATO. THE LARGEST CIRCULATION OF ANY DAILY PAPER SOUTH OF AUCKLAND. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1906. THE DRAINAGE WORKS.

Waikato Times, Volume LVII, Issue 8081, 18 December 1906, Page 2

The Waikato Times, THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE, AND KAWHIA ADVOCATE. Established Thirty-Four Years. THE OLDEST DAILY NEWSPAPER IN THE WAIKATO. THE LARGEST CIRCULATION OF ANY DAILY PAPER SOUTH OF AUCKLAND. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1906. THE DRAINAGE WORKS.

The interview with Mr S. IS. Sims, Borough Engineer, which we publish in another column, will be read with interest by all who are concerned in the welfare of the Borough and with relief by many whose fears with regard to the drainage works, on which Hamilton is expending such a large sum, were aroused by the revelations recently made in another town. We do not think that the fears that undoubtedly wore entertained betokened any lack of confidence in Mr Sims, but in a contract of such dimensions, and on the faithful carrying out of which so much depends, the ratepayers cannot afford to neglect any means ot satisfying themselves that their money is being properly expended, and that they are receiving ample justice. The plans prepared by the first engineers employed by the Council, for the efficient drainage of Hamilton, and those prepared by Mr Sims in ignorance of the fact that others were in existence, provided for almost identical schemes, so that we may rest assured that the system wlieu in operation will be the best one that could be devised to meet the requirements of the town. The description of the system which will be found in another column, shows that the thickly populated parts of the Borough will be amply served by main and subsidiary sewers. Hamilton may congratulate itself on getting such an efficient system at an extremely moderate price. Of course in such a woik, it is always possible for errors to creep in, the full effects of which might not be apparent until the scheme was brought into actual operation, and which could only be guarded against by continual watchfulness. That such careful supervision has been exercised by Mr Sims is undoubted, and the Borough hat; I much to thank him for for the way :u ! which the business has been j managed. A word of appreciation ii alto due to the contractors tor the

faithful way in which their duty is

being discharged. The remarks of Mr Sims should have the effect of entirely dispelling the feeling of uneasiness that existed in the minds of many people, and which it was no more than natural should exist. As we said before the importance of the work warrants the fullest inquiry by the ratepayers into the manner in which their money is being expended. It, now remains for the

ownspeople Io assist the Borough uithoi ities in making the scheme the meces.s if should be by paving care-

ful attention to their private connection with the sewer mains. ()u thi:-. much depends, and if the work be carried on! as soon as possible, the scheme should be in working order very shortly after Ihe contract time for the laying 0 f the pipes, in March next, expires. There is no reason why this work should not be put in hand at once, and the connections made at any rate to the street boundaries, in readiness for the final connection with the mains when they are ready to receive them. By doing this, Hamilton will be reaping the reward of its enterprise much earlier than would otherwise be the case, and public health, which must be jeopardised to some extent while insanitary ground is being opened, would be more efficiently conserved.

SCHOOL BUILDING GRANTS

Thk vexed question of school building grants is about to be taken in hand by the Department of Education. The Minister of Education, speaking on the subject at Auckland recently, hinted that instead of the Department - continuing, as in the past, to adjudicate upon each application for a school, the total sum would be divided amongst. the Education Boards each year, and it would be left to each board to allocate its money as it thought best. What Mr Kowlds was unable to make any definite statement about was the basis upon which the vote would be distributed amongst the Hoards, The success of this departure will largely depend on how the grant is to be distributed, but it will certainly be an advantage for the Boards, who are in a better position than anyone else to judge of the necessity for new schools, to have the expenditure of funds for this purpose in their own hands. At present Boards have only the administration of an annual grant for the upkeep of existing buildings, and authority for any new work has to be sought from the Department, which carries out the work, and hands the completed buildings over to the Boards in whose districts they are situated. The existing system has entailed many vexatious delays in various places where new school buildings were urgently required, and if the authority were placed in the hands of the local educational authoiity, much of this would be obviated.