PRECAUTIONS IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10638, 24 April 1900, Page 5

PRECAUTIONS IN CHRISTCHURCH.

THE SANITARY CONDITION OF THE CITY-

DISCUSSION BY THE CITY COUNCIL.

The following report of the Sanitary Committee was read at the meeting of the City Council last night:— * Your Committee begs to recommend the Council to make a by-law to phobibit wooden drains from being put down on private property* in the c&v. Your Committee begs to recommend the temporary appointment of a Medical Officer, also a special Inspector, to make a thorough house-to -house inspection in the city, and that your Committee be authorised to advertise for and appoint such officers, were in effect the removal by air-tight pans

Your Committee has taken steps to have rats destroyed. You CoiunuW«e begs to inform tie Council tnat instructions have been given to Inspector Smith to give special attention to sanitary inspection in the centre of the city, and particularly rights of way. Your Committee instructed the Inspector to obtain samples of milk now being supplied to the public. Twelve samples were taken, ten of which- were pure and the other two contained about l-16th of foreign matter. Your Committee begs to report that it has again considered Section 6 ot its report of March. 26th, also the report of last meeting, which was referred back to it for mope information. Your Committee has given the subject -very full consideration and has come to the conclusion that the cheapest and best; method of dealing with nightsoii removal, will be to have sufficient pans made with air-tight tops for the purpose of removing the'jughtsoll "by train to the Council's reserve. The following is an approximate •estimate of the plant required and the annual cost of doing the work: —Outlay, plant, etc.—s trollies at £50 each, £250; 1 frame dray for reserve, £30; 10 horses at £30 each, £300; 10 sets harness at £10, £100; 700 pans with tops at 14s, £4SO; cottage at reserve, £250; well at reserve, £30; siding at reserve, £420; rails laid into reserve, £195; horse at reserve, £30; stable at reserve £30; contingencies, £180; £2305. Annual men at 60s per week, £780; 1 man at 8s 6d 3 nights at Richmond, £67; 2 men at reserve. £200; horse feed 11 horses £4 10s per week, £234; railway freight say 100 tons per week, £12 10s per week, per year. £650*; contingencies, £75; £2006. Your Committee begs to submit an alternative scheme, viz., the use of the Drainage Board's sewers, and that your Committee be authorised to interview" the Board 'with a view to utilising the drainage system for disposal of our nightsoii. The Mayor said owing to the strong hold the bubonic plague appears to have taken in Sydney, public attention is now directed to the urgent necessity of increased precaution in sanitary matters. I propose at the proper time to request the Chairman of the •Sanitary Committee to inform the Council of t"he steps which liave been taken and also what the Committee purposes doing in the immediate future, to satisfy an undoubted demand for a better state of things. It is. however, my duty to point out what I consider are the' pressing claims upon the attention of the Council in its capacity of guardiar* of the health of the .city. The first question which a health officer will ask is, "What are you doing with your garbage?" Hβ will be shown the old deposit and the new, neither of which will he consider creditable. With regard to the old one, I think we should obtain, permission from the Heathcote 'Road Board bo again start the fire at the rubbish heap, which was put out at the request of the Board, with this difference, that several fires might be lighted with a view to a speedy demolition of the heap. The new depository is from the- complaints constantly being received, not satisfactory, and must be carefully covered and disinfected until the destructor is arranged for, or some other pi»rmanent place found' to make the deposit. The next question is the disposal of that portion of the excreta not provided for by the sewage system. Thia may be done in two ways. First-, by completing the system and! making connection compulsory. The Engineer to the Drainage Board is of opinion that t*here is no necessity to defer this until the proposed high pressure water supply is completed. And, secondly, by enforcing connection with the sewers in existence, and for the balance providing tie sealed pan system; the pans to be conveyed to the Council's new reserve, where the contents should be treated eitiher by a destructor or in some other scientific way. The present system is a standing menace to the health of the community, end only worthy of the back Shims of some secondrate Chinese city. I Jiave previously referred to the unsightly and insanitary system at present in existence with regard to the household garbage. A covered metal bin is used in most places outside t&e colony, and! in Wellington, and perhaps other cities in New Zealand. I; should' like to see a' thorough sweeping mad© of all the streets Which /will bear the treatment at certain intervals, arid the dust put into bags and: carted arway. This is done in New York and elsewhere with marked success, both in regard to fhe dust nuisance and also the health of the people. I now come to that portion of the work of sanitation which Tee leave to the citizens themselves, and which I regret, in far too many cases, is not carried out in a way to be commended or even tolerated. . Much: of this may result from lack' of knowledge or carelessness, but from whatever reason, it behovea this Council to carry out its duty without fear or favour, to insist that those entrusted with the work of inspection receive the encouragement and strong moral support of the Council, without which, it is impoßsibl» for them to be successful in a work of itself arduous and invidious. The Government haa clearly emphasised its opinion on, that should the plague be introduced into New Zealand, its spread must not be assisted* by carelessness In allowing insanitary conditions to exist for one moment longer than necessary. lam sure we all appreciate this view, and I therefore ttust that any proposals for immediate action which may be laid befoie you will receive your careful consideration, and that definite measures will be decided upon this evening. The report of the Sanitary Committee was then - taken clause by clause, and adopted. >

On the question, of the temporary appointment of a medical officer, etc..

Cr. Sorensen said he thought that this was a most necessary course to be taken. The probable cost involved by the appointment of a medical officer would be £100.

Cr. Appleby pointed out that the Council ■were being asked to vote money every meeting. He did not think that there was any reason to get up a scare here, and if they believed all that special reporters wrote in the papers they might be landed they did not know where. It was quite news to him tliat there was only one Inspector of Nuisances.

O. Sorensen pointed out that Cr. Aopleby should have known, as chairman >of the By-Law Committee, that Mr Inspector, Smith had been appointed to look after the bylaws. .

Cγ. Loughnan said that he was surprised to hear a Councillor proposing to wait until the plague arrived here before they spent money. He preferred to be scared ra titer than have the plague, and he was surprised to hear Cr. Appleby treat the matter in the light and airy way he had done. To prevent- the city being visited by any epidemic was the sacred duty of the Council. Cr. Payhng said that the Sanitary Committee had recommended the temporary appointment of a medical officer and one extra inspector, which ther considered was sufficient. Now, in Wellington a large number of inspectors—ten in Dumber—had bero appointed, whereas here they.only wanted to appoint- otter '

Iri reply \to Cr. Andrews,- the Mayor said he tind.erstood the Sanitary -Committee expected to have the city inspected for £100. Cr. Sorensen said the Committee expected if the Council passed the report that evening to have the inspection made of the city In about a month.

Cγ. Andrews asked why they should spend the ratepayers' money in such a frivolous manner. Let them appoint a medical officer to report to the Sanitary Committee as tp the state of the city, which was far from being good.

Cr. Kincaid supported thß clause of the report as a very, necessary step. Cr. Sandstein was of opinion that what was necessary to be done was that they should have a house-to-house inspection of the city.

Cr. Prudhoe was of opinion that the proposal of the Committee was a very excellent one. . ■

The clause of the report waf then agreed to.

On the clause with reference to rats, various members of the Council urged that the price of rats should be increased to 2s

per dozen. In reference to tiie testing of milk, the Mayor asked as to who tested the milk, and Cr.Sorensen replied that it was tested by to lactometer in the office.

On the clause referring to the removal of nightsoil, Cr. Sorensen explained the proposak of the Sanitary Committee, winch

by train,. They* would pay £790 per annum iftiore than' now, .but the system would be far less objectionable. It was resolved that the clause be postponed till nest meeting. On the clause with reference to the alternative scheme making use of the Drainage Board sewers,

Cγ. Gray pointed onb that in. an article in "Truth," on Saturday last, it was proposed that the mghtsoil should be collected by the Council and taken to the Pumpiug Station, whence tho Drainage Board could take it on to their setva-ge farm. At this stage Cr. Morris moved, "That the discussion be takffia in Committee," •which was seconded by Cr. Paylmg, and agreed to. "On resuming, the Mayor reported that that the clause had been agreed to.