Council may prosecute

Press, 2 July 1985, Page 8

Council may prosecute

The Paparua County Council decided at its meeting last evening to consider prosecuting Meadow Mushrooms, Ltd, on Springs Road, for alleged contravention of the Health Act. Members of the Meadow Mushrooms sub-committee and council staff will discuss with the county solicitor a possible prosecution. After making good progress to cut smell from the mushroom farm, the company had reverted to earlier unsatisfactory levels of smell, the council agreed. The council adopted a committee report giving the opinion that Meadow Mushrooms, Ltd, had an attitude of “production at all costs,” with “little or no consideration” for local residents.

In a letter to the council, the company outlined the problems it had encountered in trying to combat smells on the farm. New equipment was scheduled to arrive from overseas in August to rectify the problem, the company said. “In the meantime, we are taking every care possible to ensure that the instance

of June 6 does not occur again,” a company representative said in the letter. “I would also remind the council that the odour control equipment is still fully operational. “If there had been a complaint during evening hours, our assistant farm manager was available to turn on the equipment. This offer has been made before, and we note that he was not contacted on the evening of June 6.” Dangerous goods The council has decided to express its concern about the ‘'unsatisfactory” nature of the dangerous goods legislation to the Minister of Internal Affairs. Dangerous goods inspectors were using 1958 regulations, the chief health inspector, Mr lan Dawson, told the council recently. These regulations referred to classes of dangerous goods that had become outdated since the 1974 Dangerous Goods Act, he said. Because the 1958 regulations have not been with-

drawn, the draft regulations could not be used, the council was told. “Any situation that causes confusion such as the 1958 regulations must be of grave concern,” Mr Dawson said.

The Chief Inspector of Explosives is able to grant exemptions to compliance with the act. Such exemptions could be interpreted in several ways by differing legal opinions, Mr Dawson said.