A DANGER TO HEALTH.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 135, 7 June 1907, Page 5

A DANGER TO HEALTH.

I INSANITARY PUBLIC BUILDINGS. I (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) j WAIHI, this day. ' The Waihi Post and Telegraph Office has long been considered as a most insaniLaiy building, and the opinion has been continued by Mr Purdy, District Health Officer, who has supplied the following condemnatory report to the borough council: —"The ofiice consists of one large general room 38ft long, 18ft ' wide, and lift high. This room is partitioned off to make space for the public, and a room for the telegraph operators; the whole staff consists of 18 persons. ! There is no efficient method of ventilation. Owing to the prevalence of wind, I was informed that it was impossible .to keep the windows open whilst the j operators were working. At the time i' oi my visit, shortly after noon, the room was very stuffy. In the telegraph room, where three operators are employed and there are four messengers, similar conditions prevail. Since January of this ye_.r seven men have been sick. Two deaths from phihsis have occurred last year »nd ©no employee is at present, at "tiome suffering from -iris disease. Two others also have just returned, one of | whom it is expected will shortly have to leave work. The aggregate of side leave during the first four months of this year is ten months, an average oi 2.5 men absent in eighteen every day in the year. There has also been phthsis in the postmaster's house. The space allotted to the public is too cramped and badly lighted and the ventilation is defective. The report has been forwarded to Wellington.