COX'S CREEK.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 304, 20 December 1912, Page 7

COX'S CREEK.

(To the Editor,) Sir, —There being three cases of deaths from diphtheria in Auckland betwen ISth November and loth December, two of these being boys attending Bayfield School, I deemed it my duty, as a member of the Ponsonby Schools Committee, ] after consulting with the chairman, to I wait on Dr. Monk, the Health Officer, to request that a thorough examination should be made of the school and grounds. Dr. Monk received mc with I every courtesy, and instructed an inspector to visit the school. The inspeci tion was carried out most rigidly, and my thanks are due to Dr. Monk and Inspector Furness for the report which I believe has been sent on to the chairman of our School Committee. What I want to point out is the fact th_t Dr. Monk stated, in my interview with him, that Co_'s Creek was more likely the cause of the cases, and if we had a hot summer we were likely to be visited with typhoid as well as diphtheria. Now, remembering the outbreak of four years ago, I think it behoves us to set our house in order. I believe Mr. W. A. Thompson, who was a city councillor at that time, brought this matter up in the City Council, and there was a cleansing, only a temporary affair, but I believe it did good. We have over 600 children attending the Bayfield School, and I write in their interest when I suggest that during the six weeks' recess something should be done to at least alleviate the stench arising from this creek. All honour is due to our Mayor, Mr. C. J. Parr, for his scheme of a park for this locality, only I would like to see it pushed on, as every year the creek remains in its present condition there must be a toll exacted from the residents in the vicinity in the form nf death from disease directly caused by the said creek.—l am, etc, G. H LETHABY.