AVONDALE TROUBLES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 7, 8 January 1908, Page 7

AVONDALE TROUBLES.

A deputation of residents of Avondale waited upon the Hon. G. Fowlds, Minister for Public Health, this morning, at the Government Buildings, to ask that an alleged nuisance at the railway station be abated. The deputation consisted of Messrs. John McLeod, Dr. Carolan, C. D. Grey, W. Cooper, F. Gittos, F. Walker, and A. J. Morrish. In introducing the deputation, Mr. McLcod said they waited upon the Minister for Public Health on account of a nuisance at Avondale railway station. Certain residents of Avondale got manure from town by railway, and it was a great nuisance to people on the platform. They did not think passengers should be annoyed. The trucks appeared to be mostly for Chinese gardeners, although there were other residents who also got manure by train. The deputa tion recognised that the manure was required in the district, ancl that reasonable facilities should be afforded to the people to get it, but they objected to the station being made a depot, as it was a nuisance and dangerous to public health. There would be a great howl if trucks of manure were left in a similar manner at the Auckland station. Dr. Carolan said a petition signed by 150 adult residents of Avondale had been sent to the Health Department praying the abatement of this undoubted nuisance. In the past they had inquired into the matter, and Dγ'. Frengley went out to inquire into the matter. He made some suggestions, but very little was done. Dr. Carolan said he interviewed Dr. Purely, and it was decided to wait upon the Minister. He had not been able to trace any epidemic to this manure, but knew of several cases of sickness in the immediate vicinity. The stench from the trucks was abominable at times. Quite recently as many as eight or nine trucks of manure arrived by train during a week, and each truck took about five hours to unload. As a medical man he considered this dangerous to health. Mr. W. Cooper endorsed the remarks of the previous speakers. As a frequent passenger to Auckland, he could affirm that the nuisance at times was simply intolerable. It had surprised him that residents tolerated the nuisance for so long. They hoped that lie. as Minister for Public Health, would take steps to abate a serious nuisance. Mr. F. Gittos considered immediate action should be taken to stay such an intolerable nuisance. Mr. Grey objected to a manure depot being at the station. At the same time he also recognised that the manure was much needed in the district. Perhaps it could be landed at a siding somewhere away from the station. Certainly it was a nuisance to have trucks of manure standing at the station. Mr. Fowlds said, as Minister for Public Health, he was always anxious to do all he could to preserve the health of the people. He would have reports upon the matter, made by the officers of the Public Health Department. While the Department must be extremely vigilant in all cases where it was likely the health of the people would be prejudicially affected, still it must also be careful not to interfere with the legitimate occupations of the people. The use of manure for the purpose of market gardening was a legitimate occupation, and the only thing he had to do was to see that in using the manure the public health was not endangered. j He would be glad to do all he could in that direction without unduly interfering with a legitimate occupation of the people. He understood that Dr. Mason, Chief Health Officer, had already conferred with Mr. Ronayne, the General Manager of Railways, upon this matter, and he could assure the deputation that ■whatever was inimical to public health would be stopped if possible.