SANITARY MATTERS AT KAITANGATA.

Bruce Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 51, 28 June 1909, Page 4

SANITARY MATTERS AT KAITANGATA.

REPORT BY DR PINCH.

A BREEZY COUNCIL MEETING.

> A special meeting of the Kaitangata Borough Council was held on Wednesday evening to deal with sanitary matters _in connection with a report received from Dr Finch. Present—Messrs F. T. Poole (Mayor), R. Aitchison, M. Carson, sen., W. Wilson, G. McVie, W. Coulter, T. Espie, T. Hislop, J. R. Hunter, C. Burrell. ! The Mayor said : This is a special meeting to consider sanitary matters, ' and we are met to hear the report from the Health Oilicer at Christchurch, who was sent down to report. As you are aware, I have taken an active part in this matter, and I feel sure when you hear this report read you will agree that I was thoroughly justified in my action. At the election I said I was prepared to stand or fall in connection with sanitary matters. I will not go over all that was said on the question. It was said for one thing, it will be remembered, that the germs came from the air, and not from tho drains. The report will show different. We were led to believe also that no reports had been received from the Health Office, but Inspector Gladstone informed me to-day, in the presence of Cr Hislop and the clerk, that he had sent in a report after each of his two visits. He understood it was stated at the council table when a question was asked as to whether any report had been received that n.one had been received, and that as none had been received, the sanitary condition of tho borough must be in a VGl 'y satisfactory state. He did not know whether the reports had ever come or not, but he had told them what Inspector Gladstone had said that day, and Mr Gladstone promised to send him copies. Cr Coulter : Do I understand you to say that Inspector Gladstone says he sent reports when it was said at tho council table that no reports had been received ? The Mayor : He said he sent a report after every visit. The Mayor proceeded to read the correspondence and give the details leading up to the present report. On the 22nd April, at Mosgiel, he had a half-hour's private interview with the Prime Minister, who promised to send a Health Officer to make an independent report on the sanitary condition of the town. Cr Coulter : Is the report to the Council or to yourself. The Mayor: It was addressed to me as Mayor, and it is for the council.

Cr Coulter : It seems to me it is a private report. The Mayor: Surely not. I suppose half the correspondence that comes to the council is addressed to the Mayor. Cr Espie : There has been a meeting of the council since some of that correspondence was received. Why was it not put before the Council then ? The Mayor : I had it all here at last meeting, and offered to go on with it, but the council unanimously agreed to hold a special meeting to deal with it. Cr Coulter : I can't see yet how all this is in order. It is apparently a private matter. The council has never asked for a sanitary report. The Mayor : If you would wait till I read the report, you would see that it is sent to the council through the Mayor. The Mayor submitted letters and telegrams that had passed between himself and the Health Department, and the Minister of Public Health. He concluded by reading the covering. letter and the report as follows.