UNTIDY NEWMARKET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 252, 22 October 1907, Page 3

UNTIDY NEWMARKET.

A NICE DISTINCTION. ■ •"**' r: 'Further "discussion took place'-at last night's . 'meeting of " the Newmarket Borough Council with reference to- the condition-of the borough. The'subject ; was introduced by the Mayor - (Mr J. Bennett) who endeavoured to prove that the borough "was not in such a bad way as'some of its critics made it appear. He asserted "that only a comparatively small , portion of the district was and that Mr Metcalfe would bear him out on this point. He'called upon the members of the Council to meet this "deliberate and ill-timed : attempt to coerce them into joining the city." Residents who had favoured the .greater"Auckland scheme were now opposed to it, because of the uncalled for attacks that had been made upon their district. What had been an attempt to crush them into submission had-entirely the opposite' effect. He proceeded to state that since he had occupied the chair he had made an unselfish and unfettered endeavour to improve the i borough, and even the most casual ob--1 server must admit that something had been done. Mr H. R. Kinder moved: "That the reports which have appeared' in the Press of late emanating from the Health' Department are grossly exaggerated, uncalled for, and most unreliable." It had done a great deal of harm to people ■who were unable to protect themselves. Comparisons, he said,' were odious, but he coifld- not help remarking that only that day he had noticed in Symondsstreet tins and open boxes'of refuse, etc., exposed close to the sidewalk, while in front of a doctor's 'house in another street in the same locality he noticed a "good Sfteen yards of water, stagnant and green. Why should Newmarket be made the butt; why did not they treat all alike? ' Only that day a tradesman had told him that one of his oldest customers had said she ■would not get any more provisions in Newmarket. Mr W. R. Holmes seconded the motion. • ■■ . Mr D. Teed said Dr. Purdy seemed to have acquired the habit of referring to everything that did not meet with his approval, as -''the worst in the world." It would not have been so bad if he had said the worst he had seen. The Mayor said that the nightsoil contractor was stopped from depositing, refuse at Port Chevalier before another site had been ?ecv.Tsd. That was the attitude of the Health Department all over; they jumped, on local todies and authorised things to be done without due notice rr provision being made to suit the. exigencies of the case. •:Mr Davis said the lava that flowed from Mount Eden ;:ad fallen into Newmarket, and consequently all their drainage had to be done through the lava fields, which meant that for every £1 spent in the city Newmarket had to spend £3. Mr Kinder said he thought that the average ' number of cases 'of infectious diseases reported in Newmarket would compare favourably with Devonport, "the model borough." Newmarket might be untidy, but it was not insanitary. • The motion was carried unanimously. -Mr W. Edgerley. suggested that the question of sanitation should be placed before the residents, and other, members concurred in this view. The sanitary inspector reported ;on iour complainlf . made by Dr.. Purdy, stating that they were. now being attended to. Mr A. Seccpm.be intimated that, owing to pressure of business, he had intended to resign from the position'of chairman .of the Streets, and Works Committee, but he ■ did not mind remaining on the committee, however, as he knew more about the work than most members. -Mr Teed suggested that the committee should meet at as early a date ; as : possible, AS very little work had been done lately.