402 REPORT— 1891. 



If we compare the mortality bill of 1889 with this bad record 

 we see at once the improvement that has taken place. From 

 a town dangerous to live in, Christchiirch has been converted 

 into a very healthy city. So soon as the effects of the works 

 were felt the death-rate dropped. In the year 1882 it was 

 13-7 ; in the year 1888, 11-36 ; and in 1889, the latest year for 

 which we have the retmnis, it was 9-77. In this last year 

 the deaths registered from fever were only five, those from 

 phthisis only eight, while the population had in the meantime 

 increased from 10,611 to 16,785. It is to be regretted that 

 reliable statistics cannot be obtained for the suburbs, so that 

 we might deal with the larger population of thirty-five thou- 

 sand, but there is every reason for believing that they have 

 fully participated in the general improvement that has been 

 so manifest in the city. 



The following is a short description of the w^orks under- 

 taken for the drainage of the district : — 



The sewers have been constructed by and are vested in the 

 Christchurch Drainage Board, a corporate body constituted by 

 a special Act of Parliament in the year 1875 "to provide for 

 the drainage of the City of Christchurch and the surrounding 

 districts." 



The surface-drainage is connected by side-channels, con- 

 structed by aTid under the control of the various local bodies 

 in the district. They are for the most part of concrete, and 

 consequently watertight, although many in the outlying por- 

 tions are merely cuts in the ground. These channels discharge 

 into natural creeks, the Eiver Avon, and into sewers specially 

 provided for stormwater, which dischaige into the Avon and 

 Heathcote Eivers. It is much to be regretted that, while the 

 primary object of these sewers was the carriage of storm- 

 water only, they are in some cases rendered very foul owing 

 to the nature of the contents of the side-channels ; and this is 

 a matter over which the Drainage Board has practically no 

 control. The length of these sewers, which were constructed 

 and are maintained by the Board, is 10 miles 15 chains, and 

 the cost of construction £57,000. They vary in size from 

 4ft. Sin. to 12in. diameter. 



In abnormal rainfalls, which are of somewhat rare occur- 

 rence, small low-lying portions of the district become flooded, 

 but this is owing to the rise in the rivers, which prevents a free 

 discharge from the sewers. On the cessation of the rain the 

 water is quickly run off, so that it is not probable that the 

 health of the district is thereby affected. 



The system of sewers for the removal of sewage proper was 



designed by the late Mr. W. Clark, M.Inst.C.E., and has 



proved most successful. The separate system has been adopted 



-i.e., rain-water, so far as possible, is excluded. This enables 



