LITTLE RIVER RAILWAY STATION.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16402, 23 December 1918, Page 3

LITTLE RIVER RAILWAY STATION.

SANITATION AY ANTED

On Saturday morning Messrs J. A • Chapman (chairman of tho Waircwa. County Council), AY. F. Parkinson, and J. 0. Coop (members of the Council), and H. Chapman, and T. Quealey (residents of Little River) waited on the Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister of Public Health, and asked that the sanitary arrangements at Littlo River railway station and i>ost office should bo impro\ed. Mr J.'V. Chapman said that the County Council wished to clean up its littlo city, and asked that septic tank should be put in. The position at tho Maori pa was not good, somo or tuo houses being in a dreadful condition, but tho Council had no power to amend! the conditions. Mr Coop said that it was doubtful it countv councils had any power to attend to the health of their districts. Apparently it was the duty of tho District Health Officer in Christchurch to watch the public health in all parts of the province. Residents ot Littlo River took the influenza epidemic in hand on their own account, with the result that of 150 patients only one baby and a, Maori died. Tho Council wished to know what its responsibilities were, as it did not intend to shirk them. 3lr Parkinson said that the nuisance at the railway station sometimes was ycry bad. A*health inspector promised that conditions at the post ofiico also would be attended to, but nothing had been done.

Mr H. Chapman said that tlio # sanitary arrangements at all the Peninsula, schools should -bo attended to. The Minister said that tho Public Health Act constituted county councils responsible authorities in administering tho Act. He had widened tho effect of tho Act in order to givo county councils the same powers as city councils. If houses in the Maori pa were not fit for human habitation, the County Council could order them to he pulled down and could erect lodgings for tho Maoris. Land for tho purpose could bo taken under the Public Works Act. and the money needed could he borrowed by tho Council without taking a poll. lie would consult the Native Minister as to the power to deal' with Maori lands in that direction, and ho would ask Dr. Chesson to make a personal visit lo Little Kiver, report to the Chief Health and submit suggestions to tho Government. In reply to Mr Coop, tho Minister slated that the Act empowered the Minister to appoint a doctor to tho district. Tho fees ho collected would be paid into th 6 Council's funds. ' If the fees were £700 a year or so, they would he handed to "the doctor. If not, tho Council could make np the balance, whatever it might bo, from its ordinary funds. There were two objects in framing tho clause. Ono was to enable country doctors at tho war to get back to practice, to repatriate them, in fact. Tho other was to provide doctors for country people.