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13
Over-the-Gates.
The drainage of this part of the town now passes into the river
without any treatment. Under the present condition the sewers
get tide-locked and are apt to overflow.
A new scheme has been sanctioned for this district also.
HOUSING OF THE WORKING CLASSES.
Several schemes have been before the Council during the year with
a view to improve the housing of the working classes in the town.
Two descriptions of dwelling houses were under discussion, viz :—the
two or three tenement houses and the single cottage system. The
latter type has been decided upon and plans have been drawn up by
the district surveyor which have received the provisional sanction of
the architect to the Local Government Board. The contractor having
failed to satisfy the Council as to his suitability, permission has been
requested of that Board for the Council to put the work in hand at
once on their own account.
It is hoped that by this action of the Council, a four-roomed cottago
will be provided at a rent of about 6s. or 6s. 6d. per week inclusive.
An excellent site has been purchased, at a reasonable cost, on the
Ripple Road, and it seems probable that the work will be put in
hand during the present year.
My opinion is that it would be a great boon to the town if more
double tenement houses, having separate front and back entrances,
and separate back yards, were erected. It seems to me that by this
means the average size of living and sleeping rooms could be
increased, without adding proportionately to the rental.
SEWERAGE SYSTEMS.
No alteration has been made in the treatment of the town sewage
during the year. I am glad to say that the offensive gases from the
sewers, which have so long been a nuisance in the town, have been
greatly lessened. I am of opinion that many more ventilating shafts
might be added to the existing ones with advantage. About a dozen
have been erected by the surveyor's department during the past year.
Kennedy Estate Sewerage Scheme.
Owing to the low level of this Estate, it was found that it was
impracticable to drain it by gravitation with the existing main outfall
sewer in the Ripple Road. In order therefore, to bring the sewage
matter to the required level, some method of lifting it has to be
adopted. After thoroughly discussing the various methods by which
this could be done, it was finally decided to adopt Shone's ejectors.
The same difficulty was met with in dealing with the drainage of
" Over the Gates." Here, not only was the district situated at a low
level, but the "Creek" had to be crossed before the Over-the-Gates
system could discharge into the general sewerage system of the town.
These difficulties have also been surmounted by the adoption of th©
svstem mentioned above.