AVONDALE ANGRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 17, 20 January 1914, Page 7

AVONDALE ANGRY.

AN UNWELCOME INVASION. SELECTED AS SANITARY DEPOT. Avondale residents, apparently, very angry, and protests to the Government, public meetings, and even more drastic measures are freely talked aibout. The trouble arises out of the action of the Health Department in deciding that the district presents a suitable area for a sanitary depot. Recently the longeetxbiished sanitary depot at Tamaki was closed. Trouble at once presented itself in the selection of another site. Ail the suburban districts were interested, but not. one of them would agree to a site being allocated in its respective district. Conferences witii •the Public Health ■officiate were held, but proved quite abortive.- Parliament, in its Washing-op Bill, art the dose of the session, made provision -whereby the Public Health officers should have power to fix for themselves a site suitable for the purpose, independent of the views 'held by the local bodies. Accordingly, Point ChevaJier was declared to Ibe the veryplace. With this decision Point ChevaHer residents did not agree. Every possible obstacle was placed in the way of carrying out the scheme, even to v digging up the Toadway, and m™ persuasive methods more forcible than kindly .upon those responsible for the invasion of the district. Forced io look for a new site, the Public Health Department decided that Avondale provided a satisfactory way out. The residents of that district received an unpleasant surprise yesterday, when it was discovered that the sanitary carts had during the night been brought into the township, and the ■matter had jbeen distributed over a well-known property, on which is sitnated a large boarding bouse. The owner of this property, it is further stated. Tune cows over his land, and holds a license to supply milk throughout the district. A member of the Avondale Road Board, in imparting this information to a "Star" representative this morning, said it was obvious that the site was an impossible one for the purpose. The gronnd was too hard in that Icwality to permit of proper ploughing, with the result that the matter was only partiaHy covered, and,with the prevailing wind blowing in the direction of a fairly thickly populated area, the Tesidents were considerably alarmed. Already the -member for the district has •been interviewed, and asked to intercede with the Minister for Public Health. The Board's solicitors hay« also been instructed to take immediate action, and a public indignation meeting is to be called forthwith. When inquiry -was made at the Tublic Health office this morning it was ascertained that the site was regarded as the 'best available. The information was •further •imparted that it ivas only to be used as a temporary depot, though no idea could be given as to how long it would be necessary to continue sending Auckland night soil into the Avondale district