INSANITARY PREMISES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 282, 21 August 1908, Page 3

INSANITARY PREMISES.

CITY COUNCIL'S POWERS. Dirty and insanitary premises, and tho powers of the Corporation officials in regard to them, formed a subject of. discussion at tho City Council meeting last night. Tho Public Health Committeo advised that notices bo served in accordance with tho recomme.ndations of tho Publio Health Department upon owners and occupiers of eleven properties in tho city. The chairman of the committeo, Councillor Shirtcliffe, read an unpleasant report of tho Health Department's Inspector on some of tho promises visited. One case concerned a bouse in Taranaki Street, which' harbours lodgers. It was alleged that the bedrooms were very badly ventilated and very much overcrowded, that tbero was an accumulation of dust and other matter, and an almost unbearable smell. The bath had been nsed as a depository for kitchen slops. Councillor ShirtclifTo explained that tho. reports of the Department's inspectors were nearly all made in response to requests of tho Council's officials, so that it must not bethought that tho latter were negligent of their duty in these respects. Councillor Fletcher wishwl to shorten tho procedure in these cases with a view to saving time. He suggested that the powers of tho' Corporation officials might be made more decisive, to obviate.tho need of constant recourso to the Health Department and consequent delay. Tho Mayor explained the procedure laid down by the Municipal Corporations Act and Public Health Act. The latter Act, which affords the simplest method of procedure, requires that a certificate from the Public Health Department shall be obtained. The - committee's recommendation was adopted. . , . ■ ■ .