Hygiene Standards Falling In City

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31139, 16 August 1966, Page 1

Hygiene Standards Falling In City

Because of a lack of adequate inspection services for several years as there were insufficient health inspectors available, the standard of hygiene in premises subject to inspection had been falling steadily, the Chief City Health Inspector (Mr A. P. Millthorpe) reported to the City Council last evening.

‘‘Unfortunately this will continue until the staff position is brought up to a satisfactory level,” he said. The council agreed with an amendment to the by-laws committee’s recommendation that two more inspectors be appointed and supported Mr Millthorpe’s request for four more inspectors.

“I became aware that basic community health problems in infestation and refuse disposal (both interrelated in many cases) were growing alarmingly, and requested additional staff to deal with these matters.” he said. “One unqualified by-law inspector only was provided. “Even with such limited and quite inadequate staff over the last two or three years, a determined campaign has been carried out at the appropriate seasons on fly infestation, rodent infestation and indiscriminate disposal of refuse. “Nevertheless, evidence continues to be obtained that there still exist, especially in the industrial areas and the central commercial shopping and business area, large and potentially dangerous levels of infestation and lack of basic cleanliness and hygiene.”

Examples Given

Mr Millthorpe gave some examples to indicate the extent of the poor hygiene standards found in the city. They included:—

Major reservoir infestations of both brown and ship rats in large food and other commercial premises off Moorhouse avenue. all long-standing infestations.

A large butcher's shop showed signs of heavy rat infestation of long standing A 30-gallon drum of rat droppings was removed from the premises.

Twenty-two premises were found infested in a small block between Chancery lane and Oxford terrace.

A food manufacturing premises had a heavy infestation of ship rats and mice which was reported by employees after the management had neglected to take any action. A large city hotel was found to have a major infestation of rats which had been allowed to build up because of lack of proper hygiene and housekeeping.

Large rat and fly infestations were found in a number of commercial poultry farms.

A number of central eatinghouses had been found to have heavy infestations of cockroaches and poor housekeeping standards

A central bakehouse was heavily infested by both brown and ship rats and there was evidence of spread throughout neighbouring properties because of a lack of cleanliness and proper rubbish disposal and indifference by all concerned. Greater Effort

“These brief examples should indicate to all councillors that this matter is not one which should be disregarded or which can be remedied easily, but it requires proper and effective attention over a long period to effect a return to more acceptable public health standards,” Mr Millthorpe continued.

“Dirty, infested and filthy food premises cannot be justified, nor should they be tolerated. Refuse and waste disposal !•’ a slovenly, careless and indiscriminate manner should be condemned and greater support given to efforts made to control it." One inspector could hot deal with any more than a fraction of the work involved, and Mr Millthorpe asked the council to authorise the

appointment of another four-by-laws inspectors. The by-laws committee recommended the appointment of two more inspectors. Reporting on amending health legislation, Mr Millthorpe said that from next April a large group of food premises previously administered and inspected by the Department of Health would be registered by local authorities, together with another group not previously subject to registration, which included greengrocers’ and fruit shops and cake shops. The food storage and manufacturing premises to be taken over from the Department of Health constituted a major challenge to the council’s staff, at present sadly depleted, as some of the premises were known to be in need of considerable attention, he said.

“Startling’’

“This can’t be a beg-your-pardon matter,” Cr. L. G. Amos said. “The report is startling and one of the most serious I have known in my years of council work.”

“This is a terrible indictment of the council and the

council’s administration,” Cr. M. R. Carter said.

He suggested that there should be a public health committee.. The conditions reported

must have been long-stand-ing and should have been before the council before, he said.

“1 feel aghast at the people who prepare and distribute food in the city who do not feel a sense of pride and who have to have a police force of inspectors,” Cr. H. E. Denton said. “We are living among a lot of people who have no responsibility and who live to produce only goods for sale at a profit.” “If we are going, to have this cleaned up, we have to have the men to do the job,” Cr. M. B. Howard, M.P., said, when moving that four more inspectors be appointed. More Inspectors The Mayor (Mr G. Manning) seconded Cr. Howard’s amendment and said that blame should not be apportioned; the council must determine a policy to see that a blot on the city was eliminated. “We can’t rest while conditions like this exist in the city,” Mr Manning said “Therefore we must act, and the best way to act is to get four more inspectors if that is at all possible.”

The names of the firms should be given, Cr R. H. Stillwell said. Premises should be policed more effectively. “I wish we could get the whole story,” Cr. W. H. Mathison said. “These cases have been given to us as examples. It makes one wonder just what are we eating.” There was only one way to get the names of offenders published, and that was by prosecution, he said. Nothing was concealed from the council, said Cr. H. P. Smith, chairman of the by laws committee. “No Purpose” “While it is all very well to have a nice little witchhunt, it will serve no real purpose,” he said. “The real objective should be to make the vendors and manufacturers of food aware of the need to keep their premises clean.”

There could be 400 inspectors to make people more hygiene-conscious, but that would just mean more prosecutions, not necessarily an improvement in standards. Cr. Smith said he would be happy if the council could attract more health inspectors but he did not think the council should enter into an “auction sale” for inspectors when it had agreed to a Public Service scale of salaries.

There was always rat infestation in big cities, and noone should think that Christchurch was a rat-infested unhealthy city, Cr. Smith said. He was happy with the amendment if inspectors could be found.