A FEVER BED.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 73, 26 March 1909, Page 6

A FEVER BED.

GREY LYNN'S MUD FLAT. "RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY DEATHS." An old acquaintance was reintroduced to the City Council by the Grey Lynn Borough Council last night. Mr George Sayers (Mayor of Grey Lynn), who led" the deputation, said that three drains emptied into the mud flat known as Cox's Creek. "Councillor Parr holds his nose," said Mr Sayeis, deviating from the oratorical path he had entered on-, "and I don't wonder; it is a stinking hole." And the Borough Council were the greatest sinners. It was seven years hence before the Grey Lynn Council would got something done by the Drainage Board, and they now asked for temporary relief from the City Council, as the creek was a fever bed. They .were prepared to join the City Council in a scheme which would last ten years. A scheme had been submitted by the city engiaeer, which could not be as it would cost £20,----000, and at the end of the seven years be practically useless. What they wanted was some wooden chute scheme. Probably an arrangement could be come to whereby the City Council, the Drainage Board, and the Grey Lynn Council could each bear one-third of the cost of a scheme. Grey Lynn had waited a long i time, and had come to-night prepared to. I acquiesce in a reasonable proposal, but they demanded from the City Council some relief. It was a sore point in the district. A big area was drained into the creelr, where the refuse lay for thu sun to germinate'its life, and blow-flies to feast. There had been many deaths which could be traced to the subject of ■the deputation. One of the Grey Lynn representatives said that the Grey Lynn Council was jdetermined that something would be done, and added that it would be cheaper for the Councils to do the necessary work jointly than for the City Council to involve a little more expense by allowing the. Grey Lynn Council to do the whole. Mr C. Parr said that he realised that Cox's Creek had been a fever bed for many years. He suggested a consultation between the City and the Grey Lynn engineers. Fever cases were traceable to the filth of this mud flat. The Mayor (Mr C. D. Grey) said that the matter was in the hands of -tha Works Committee, and, if left to them, would be dealt with quickly. Councillor Parr: '"It has been before the Works Committee half a century." Several councillors sympathised with the deputation. The city engineer (Mr W. E. Bush): "Reports have been made, and have been in the hands of the Council for six or nine months. The proposal costing £20,000 was a permanent thing, not temporary. A wooden chute was particu-, larised too, and all the information I can give on the matter is already in the hands of the Council." The matter was referred to the Works Committee to report at next meeting.