BOARD OF HEALTH.

Press, Volume XXVI, Issue 3510, 5 December 1876, Page 3

BOARD OF HEALTH.

- Monday, December 4. Th« Local Board of Health met at 10.30 Resent-Messrs F. Hobbs (chair- * . VL G Wright, H. J. Tancred, H. J. R. J. S. Harman. J. V. p™«_ -and T. D- Jones. Mr Hall asked the chairman whether _.vf« was any chance of the Central Board subsidy to the Ix«al Boards. ■■- Ihe chairman replied in the negative. •n_Tclause referring to this matter stated S the expenses were be paid out of Strict rates. He thought that for the Ipeseafc year the expenses would have to Jome out of the Is rate. Mr Boss directed the attention of the ©-sad to the last part of clause 16, which Z& as follows:—" Each Local Board may 3_o make regulations for all or any of the following purposes—For directing the payment of snch wages, salaries,' or allowances _£the Local Board may deem reasonable, __*a"all other expenses incnrred by snch -SLwt in ihe doe execution of this part of Se Act, iohe paid out of the general city, Wn,- borough, or diatrirtt rates or out of any rates or other moneys applicable by the 2oard to the purposes of improving the city, -town, borough, or district, or otherwise at of the Local Board." He ihoncht that this seemed to indicate that have recourse to the City Council *v tav a"proportionot the cort. <fbe chairman thought not. He had ruefully studied the Act, and arrived at the conclusion t hat an y "Penses incurred by fee Board would have to be paid out of the it rate. The City Council paid the '•facers now st work up to the time of the Board coming into operation. Mr Jones enquired whether the Board was bBBUd nnder the Act to take over the officers nftbe City Council. She chairman replied that they were not. Mr Jones then thought it would be better lave matters as they were. ''_■;: , t -Mr Duncan thought it would be the best •ay to take legal advice on the matter. Mr Hall thought they. would not be Justified in expending rates raised for drainage purposes to the expenses of the .pftbfic Health Act. . -fir Boss felt that this would prejudice their debenture holders in London. ' i I Mr Wright did not see this. ihey had sufficient funds to pay interest and sinking fund, they were quite at liberty to da what they pleased with the balance. Mr Duncan pointed out that the ratepayers Wffle bound to pay the expenses of working ifceAct. .'J?hst he thought they wanted was .to ret a legal opinion aa to whether they .«mia not require the City Council- and ■village Boad Boards to pay a certain propor* tionof money to them. There was no doubt *bbut"Vhiß that the Act wanted amending, so ss ether to give them power to levy a rate -or receive from the other bodies a certain *fhs'chairman said that he felt sure tbat *bey would have to-nse their general drainike rates in this way. th,at they next year would have to levy a Id rate in addition to ■{Be~l?rwhic l:rwot * ld cover-athexpenserof •working of the Act. They would have to «et an amendment of the Drainage Act, so Is to extend their rating power above the Is, in co-tsequenoe of their being a local Board «f Health. . : ■'•'•'"- Mr Tancred moved—" That whereas there appears to be no provision in the Public Bealth Act for •enabling tbe Local Board to 'sraise funds for the purposes of the Act, the Board requests information as to the source from whence the necessary revenue is to be obtained, and as to the meaning and intention cf the Legisature in reference to subsection *i of clause .16 of the Fublic Bealth Mr Dnncan Beconded the motion, which -wasearried. Kie chairman was requested to communicate the resolution to the Central Board of Health, requesting information on the points-referred to. . Mr Harman thought that the Legislature -must have intended tbat the Board should "3_ave"a proportion of the city or borongh rates to work the Act. If they took the cjase •of Wellington or any other Local Board j «which was not as they were, also a Drainage ■Board with power: to raise rates, it would at •Once be seen that'they were without any i-ftadaat alt Therefore he thought that the -clause referred to, meant to'give power to the lacal Board to call on the Borough Conncils feaad Boad Boards to contribute their shares towards the expenses incurred under the —itwas resolved that the rules for conduct ■ct business used by the Drainage, Board be adopted by the Local Board of Health sofaT -a* applicable, from and after the present The chairman said the next business was -fte appointment of officers. He thought that it would perhaps be better to have the officers and machinery now in wort by -the City Councilfso far as the city itself was -concerned, but that in the suburbs there afcould be an officer appointed by the Board, *-aadunder their control. Mr Wright said that he thought the - -divided responsJbilty involved by having two officers would impair the efficiency of ?fl_e work. They had under the Act the rwponsibilty placed upon them, and he thought they should not hesitate to undertake it properly and efficiently. I The chairman said that it was not stating too much when he said that it was probable 'fiat during summer and autum they would •aothave less than 200 cases of typhoid leyer their district. Now "the •Central Board Board of Health made typhoid -fever assach an infectious diseass,-it would Beeessitate the exclusive emplayment of a •medical officer as Health Officer of the - -Sosid* - Mr Harman thought it came to this, that "the provisions of the Act and the character •of the city necessitated the securing the ex* -elusive services of a medical man for the <dty. It would be a necessity in the future, *nd perhaps it would be as well now to -•appoint such an officer. It would be necessary to have a house to house visitation in order to ascertain what provisions were made "&r drainage. '" _ The Chairman said that there was no -doubt that the prevalence of typhoid fever was due to a local cause. It arose f/om miasma, and he felt assured that the south •drain was a most fruitful source of typhoid. Sosoon as the drainage scheme was carried '-■ into effect, and the Board of Health earned -out their works, he believed typhoid would coon go away. . , Messrs Harman and Wright expressed their opinion that sufficient care was not taken in building houses to see that proper drainage was provided to carry off stagnant water und-r the floors. The former gentleman instanced a case in the city, where an Hmell arising, the floor « f ~ tb ® hexfe* waa taken np and three feet of blaca

s . laud found underneath. Mr Wright moved—"That applications bR _ invited for the office of Chief Inspector of Kaisances under the Public Health Act, for tne Christchurch Drainage District. The. *?!-salary of such officer to be fixed at the rate -of £275 per annum." '.; Mr Harman seconded the motion, which

Waa agre* d to.

Mr Harman moved—"That enquiries be ~. addrei-eed to the Central Board, as to whether 7 generfel instructions for the guidance of the medical cfiicers have already been framed by ?nShi£d~ar the circumstances of-each-cage 7" 4Bay seem to render necissary.''

Mr Jones seconded the motion which was agreed to, -J'hp.ohairman wsi .ali-aj-gtaaatedjoj^

ward an explanatory letter to the Central Board, accompanying the resolution, point** ing out that typhoid fever being -so prevalent here, and arising, from ,a local should not be included in infectious diseases.It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Boas, that claui*e"'-.8i"o! the Public Health"Acf should be advertised for public information. 'It was resolved to leave tbe appointment of a medical officer to. the Board inabeyance until after the receipt of information on the subject ef bis duties from the Central Board

The Board then adjourned for a fortnight.