THE PLAGUE

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 67, 20 March 1900, Page 2

THE PLAGUE

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —The Harbour Board and other/ local bodies in Auckland are making a terrible, fuss over the plague just now, and are putting the Government and 1 shipping companies and also the merchants to great expense, and. the public also .to great inconvenience to prevent the spread of the disease, which is quite right at the present juncture. But of what use are stringent precautions, when they have allowed a cargo of bones to be landed and sent to Otahahu—not the Tamaki as stated. The _ place where they are going to is infested .vith myriads of rats, and there . are dozens of railway trucks loaded with goods going daily from there to *• Auckland and Waikato, and also up north, w-hich must unavoidably carry rats with them. If you Avished to pro-: pagate the plague you could not pursue a better course. Of course, it was decided f_e bags should be burned, all rats caught should be killed and also burned, but how were all the rats to he caught. The proper course would have been to burn bones, bags and all, or else submerge the whole lot in the, sea for a week or two. Hoping this sort of thing- will be stopped once, although I am afraid it is too late now, I am, etc.,

PRO-BONO PUBLICO,

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Almost the first thing that will catch one's eye on reading the paper is "bubonic plague," arid the warning io one and all to keep yards clean, and in fact all refuse clear. Now, Sir, this puts me. in mind of closing the front door and leaving the back door ajar when you want to catch, a rat. If the councillors want anything to do -of talk about, let them" first of all visit the low*er end of Oliphant-street. There they will find something -to claim their attention instead of warning householders to keep back yards free from rubbish. When-there is a sewer running past one's house, and the stench froni it enough to give one the plague and all other diseases put. together, what is the use of keeping yards clean? It only wants any one to pass the sewer which runs along the side of the street for them to acknow •; ledge it is a disgrace to Auckland*, and yet for an outsider to read the paper and see the warnings to one and all, they would think how careful the councillors were. What I say is this.. Before s rou ask your neighbour to keep his yard clean, see that your own is clean first.—l am, etc., A WELL-WISHER OF AUCKLAND. 1