BOILING DOWN WORKS ON MANUKAU.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 250, 19 October 1904, Page 6

BOILING DOWN WORKS ON MANUKAU.

OXEHUNGA PROTESTS. 'There is a boiling-down establishment owned by Mr Thos. Austin located in the One Tree Hill Road District, and it is proposed to remove it to a place on the shore of the Manukau harbour, which has been approved by the District Heaith Officer. The One Tree Hill .Road Board, acting on Health Officer's report, approved the new location, but last night a number of residents of Onehunga and of that part of One Tree Hill close to the site approved by the Road Board petitioned the Board to reconsider its derision, and to prohibit the industry from being started at that site, for the following reasons:—The work was of an offensive, nature, and would be dangerous to the health of the public in the vicinity, that it was Impossible to get a sufficient supply of water for drainage, as the creek which would be used for the purpose was in summer only a dribble, that at high water neap tides there was , only one half of the bay covered with water, and it was therefore impossible for the refuse from the industry to.be carried out to sea, that the oyster beds leased by the Government to private individuals extended to within 200 yards of the site, and ou account of the insufficient depth and flow of water there was great danger that the- beds would be contaminated and rendered unfit for consumption. About thirty employees of the Onehunga Woollen Mills presented a similar request to the Board. The District Health Officer reported to the Board, under date October 17th, tbat ho had given his consent to establishment of the industry on the site suggested for the reasons that it seemed the most suitable part of the district for it, that the establishment was a necessary adjunct for the preservation of the public health. He had revisited the place and was still of opinion that it was the most suitable. It was isolated, there being but one house in the locality, and that was about a quarter of a mile away, the prevalent wind not carrying the smoil in that direction. The objection that thf odours from the woris wopld contaminate the meat slaughtered at the slaughterhouse hall' a mile away wa = s niuch exaggerated, as such places as Hellaby's. Ltd., had their boiling down establishments, on the same premises as their killing sheds. The water supply at the place was enough .to ensure a high standard of cleanliness. The drainage (into the channel of a good creek and thence to sea water) could not be better. The buildings to be put up were designed to minimise offensiveness. The doctor stated that his attention "had been called to the existence of an oyster bed on the foreshore near the site and the present glue works. He confessed that his department was unaware of the existence of such a bed. and he considered it a most unI suitable place for the culture of oysters I with-or without'the erection of the nroI posed establishment. . *■ •' The petitions above referred to were Dresented by a deputation from the Oneh'un-a Borongh Council, consisting of the Mayor (Mr Sutherland), and Messrs Glandford and Rish worth Mr C. G. Davis., owner of-the oyster beds, also appeared, and Mr Buddie represented Mr Austin, whb, he said had not removed his establishment because of any nuisance it created, but because the property was to be cut up. The Board in ■ committee, resolved to adhere to the pro" vious resolution, in view of the Health Officer's report. Maim