GOVERNMENT SANITATION.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13869, 21 October 1910, Page 6

GOVERNMENT SANITATION.

The revelations that have resulted from the investigation conducted by the Sydenham Burgesses* Association into the sanitary arrangements at the railway yards absolutely justify the attitude that that body lias taken up in the matter. Tho Vigilance Committee had no pleasant task, but such a horrible condition of affairs had arisen that private enterprise had to step in to arouse public opinion as to the shocking results of municipal and official apathy and neglect. Eight n.oriths hr.ye passed since the attention of the Government was. first called to the matter, and in all that time nothing has apparently even been attempted by either the Government or the City Council to remedy the evil. The Council are, in our opinion, greatly to blame, in that they did not compel the Railway Department to pay that attention to sanitation and to the health and well-being of the community that a private property-owner would have been forced to pay. If it is not the duty of the Council's inspectors to report the existence of so great a rniisanco. we do not know ■what they are supposed to do, and if they did report it, we should like t> know why the Council took no action to make tho Department obey not merely tho by-iuws of the city, buL tho ordinary laws of health and decency. Tho Government has more than once indicated its contempt for municipal regulations, and has acted as though it wore far above the obligations which private people have to shoulder, but this prolonged disregard of the health of its own. employees and of tho public is a flagrant offence, for which somo ono should suffer. By somo mo, apparently by moro than ono, there has been gross neglect of an elementiry duty, and tho matter should not !« allowed to rest with tho removal of tho cause of complaint, though that should not be delayed for a day longer.