LETTERS TO EDITOR.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLI, Issue 9390, 11 December 1920, Page 4

LETTERS TO EDITOR.

ALLENTON AND HEALTH

Sir,—l notice in your report of the meeting of , Allenton ratepayers last Saturday,' regarding Allenton joining the Borough,, that Dr. T. F. Telford staged,., that. .'Charges Street and Cross Street are'two.of, the worst streets for disease- in , Allenton. Charles Street for. its, size is one of the most thickly populated streets- in Al'ienion, both as regards adults and children, and during, thfe epidemic there was-no serious case of -either influenza, diphtheria, or any other infectious dk-ease. During the epidemic there were no deaths in Charles Street, which goas to prove how little notice one should take of cither Dr. Teiford or- the report of the inspector, Mr E. ft. Johnson. As a landlord and one interested in Charles Street, and also Allonton, I fail to understand liow Dr. Telford could make such a rash assertion, even though he was reading from Mr Johnson's report for the last 12 months. As one who has travelled every corner of New Zealand and part of South Africa, I think diaries Street one of the mostjhealtßy streets for a country town. I" should be- glad' if Dr. Telford or Mr Johnson would' show cause why they make Charles Street the scapegoat to try and join Allenton with the Borough of Ashburton. CHARLES STREET.

[When our correspondent's, statements were referred to the Health In-. spector,Mr E. N. Johnson, he stated that so far as Charles Street and Cross Street are concerned, these are the only two streets from which notification of infectious disease have been received. ' The correspondent nad missed the whole point of Dr. Telford's remarks'. Dr. Telford had been endeavouring to emphasise the necessity for preventing infectious diseases, in other words,^removing all possible sources, of infection.' This, the doctor contended, s cpuld,,best.b.&.do^ie by providing proper 'sanitary conditions.]