Air Pollution

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29764, 6 March 1962, Page 12

Air Pollution

Air pollution is a topic liable to be dismissed casually in a country so sparsely populated and generally so fortunate as New Zealand. If overseas precedents are allowed to apply, New Zealanders will be fully aware of the problem only after remedies have become very difficult to find. Dr. M. Katz, a Canadian Government expert who recently visited New Zealand briefly at the Health Department’s invitation, issued an outspoken warning against apathy that could bring great suffering and economic loss. Legislation passed by the New Zealand Parliament in 1956 provided for a degree of control over the emission of gases and fumes from chemical and fertiliser works. Partly as a result of this legislation, the Health Department for the last five years has paid increasing attention to air pollution, especially in the Christchurch and Auckland metropolitan areas. Expert advice has been sought from Britain, whose legislation on the subject is a model for other countries. As the 1960 report of the Health Department observed, “in “a period of rapid urban“isation and industrial de- “ velopment New Zealand “is fortunate in being able “ to draw on so much over“seas experience with air “ pollution problems". Under the guidance of the national Air Pollution Committee, assisted by local advisory committees in Auck land and Christchurch, some progress is now being made in a systematic attack on New Zealand difficulties. “ In Christchurch ”, said the last annual report of the national committee, “much “of the problem comes “ from coal smoke from “ domestic fires, especially “in winter. The committee “ believes that the use of “ modern smokeless solid “ fuel could do much to “ allay the nuisance that “now arises”. However much New Zealand is benefiting from the

work of other countries’ scientists and law drafts-; men, it is clear that progress on this important matter still lags because of staff shortages and inadequate facilities. After at-! tending a recent conference in Sydney, the Health Department’s chief chemical inspector (Mr R. T. Douglas) reported on satisfactory; arrangements for sharing information with Australia;! but his comments also suggested that in comparison with New South Wales’ New Zealand is niggardly towards pollution research.