Whanganui drain issues not new phenomenon

Water woes continue as the Chronicle still reports 150 years later

By Murray Crawford

"THE Harrison Street drain, of great celebrity, requires immediate attention."

But this is not a headline related to our present council's issues as reported in the Chronicle recently - it seems problems with drains go back nearly 150 years, according to newspaper accounts of the time.

"A gentleman of our acquaintance has lost a valuable retriever dog through falling into the Harrison Street drain" - an incident which admittedly was not quite as serious as one nearby: "A valuable draught horse fell into the open drain in Glasgow Street on Saturday night last and was killed."

But as well as being a serious health and safety matter, it seems the Harrison St drain became something of a tourist attraction, according to the Evening Herald (June 19, 1872).

"Beyond the Moutoa Monument, the Court House, Bridge and one or two minor objects, Wanganui is decidedly bare of anything interesting to casual visitors. It is no wonder therefore that most all the country settlers when coming into town, visit the famous Harrison Street drain."

A correspondent to the Chronicle (February 20, 1874) wrote: "If the inhabitants of the town have any regard for their own health and that of their friends, they will insist upon the Councillors taking immediate steps to have the Harrison Street Drain covered, for the poison exhaled therefrom no doubt creates a great deal of the sickness which prevails in the town at present."

In 1875 the Borough Council looked at drainage problems in Bolton Row (now Urquhart St) which opened on to Harrison St.

Residents had petitioned council for a footpath or drains, because they could not leave home without encountering water up to their knees.

A motion to refer the matter to the Foreman of Works failed on the grounds that the job would never get done (Cr Nathan).

After much squabbling, deliberations stalled when Cr Duthie accused "certain members" of being drunk, then Cr Bamber recalled seeing a member staggering around inebriated at other meetings.

Cr Chadwick: "Name him! Name him!"

"The meeting here broke up in the utmost confusion - one Cr squaring at another and threatening to give him a 'clip under the ear', to which the other replied that the age of the aggressor was his protection." (Chronicle: June 26, 1875).

As far back as 1869, residents were challenged to "go down Harrison Street and 'snuff the gentle breeze', if they have a nerve in their nostrils".

Just before the testy council meeting mentioned above, the Herald warned that anyone walking near the Harrison St drain should be careful, as a fall into it would mean drowning.

The Chronicle said in more whimsical fashion: "Nocturnal peregrinations in the vicinity of this ditch are attended with danger to a greater or lesser extent. On Thursday night, two gentlemen unexpectedly found themselves struggling at the bottom of its slimy depths, much in the same predicament as Jack and Jill, except that the pail of water was not the end and object of their research.

"In other respects, the history as told in the old familiar ballad repeated itself. Pedestrians should exercise due care when promenading about, especially at night." (May 8, 1875).

The aforementioned Cr Nathan played a part in establishing much of the early infrastructure in Wanganui.

He was given the following faint praise by a Herald columnist: "Even Councillor Nathan is not a bad fellow, though he did make a mess of the Harrison Street Drain."

■Murray Crawford is a Whanganui author with an interest in local history. Newspaper references sourced from Papers Past: National Library of New Zealand.