Air Pollution Campaign MEETING CALLS FOR PUBLIC SUPPORT

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31349, 20 April 1967, Page 16

Air Pollution Campaign MEETING CALLS FOR PUBLIC SUPPORT

The support of an informed public was essential to the success of the campaign against air pollution, Mr N. P. Alcorn, Government analyst with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, told a meeting of local body representatives from the Christchurch metropolitan area last evening.

Mr Alcorn was the chairman of the Regional Planning Authority’s air pollution advisory committee. which last year produced a report on air pollution in Christchurch after several years’ study, and was then disbanded.

Last evening's meeting was called by the Regional Planning Authority to discuss the committee’s report on air pollution and the subject generally. The public did not realise how much air pollution was costing it in damage, dirt and living conditions, Mr Alcorn said. Usually, the housewife who complained of the dirt on the cuffs of her husband’s shirts did not realise this dirt came from the air.

Only by a continuing educational policy could people be made aware of the hidden costs of air pollution, he said. The Chief City Health Inspector (Mr A. P. Millthorpe), who was a member of the advisory committee which produced the pollution report, said some citizens were keen on dealing with the problem and the rest complained from time to time when the problem affected them directly. But the general problem did not have the spectacular call of some other problems facing the community. Suitable Fuels

The most urgent air pollution problem in Christchurch was visible smoke, and most of this was caused by domestic fires, Mr Alcorn said. The provision of suitable fuels for an area such as Christchurch was required, and suitable bylaws would be needed. New Zealand needed to have a declared national policy oi clean air. Only the Government could do this.

In producing its report, the committee had come to the conclusion that the air pollution in Christchurch was something the citizens did not have to put up with, Mr Alcorn said. A sense of urgency about the problem was needed. And overcoming it would involve everyone in expense. Mr Millthorpe said clean air was part of the community health problem. One of the most important recommendations by the committee was that to enable complete conversion of the present spaceheating and industrial loads in problem areas, the Government should provide for supplies of electricity and, or, smokeless, low-sulphur solid and gaseous fuels, at competitive prices. Considerable investigation was needed on the wisest policy for local bodies on domestic fuel use. The aim of local authorities and the Government should be to eliminate the burning of raw coal in domestic fires in Christchurch.

A co-ordinating body such as a Ministry of Fuel and Power was the best-suited to examine many aspects of the problem and its solutions. Other recommendations of the committee were explained and amplified by three other members of the committee. Mr J. A. Hunter, officer in charge of the Meteorological Office at Christchurch Airport; Mr L. Wilkinson, of the chemistry division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research; and Mr K. C. Thornhill, formerly a fuel engineer with the Mines Department. At the end of the meeting the chairman of the Regional Planning Authority and of the meeting Mr E. J. Bradshaw) said there had been an awareness of' air pollution in Christchurch for many years. A committee should be formed from local body representatives and others to deal further with the problem, and the first step of such a committee would be to ask the Government for its co operation.

The immediate need was for councils to adopt the committee’s report on air pollution, and to appoint representatives to the proposed air pollution committee.