"JUNGLE STORIES."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1177, 12 July 1911, Page 5

"JUNGLE STORIES."

WHAT THE MAYOR OF PARMELL SAW, UNTLEASAXT 1! V. VIOLATIONS. (By Telecraph.-SDccial Correspondent.! Auckland, ,luly 12. Notifications from the District Health Officer (Dr. .Makgill) condemning various insanitary buildings in the Borough of I'arnell were brought before the council last evening. Dr. Makgill recommended that some buildings thould be destroyed within 21 hours, and that others should bo demolished unless necessary alterations were made withiu 30 diiyn. The Mayor (.Mr. K. S. Briggs) said all had heard of the "jungle" in Chicago, and lately I hero had been brought torward "jungle" stories from different, parts ot -New Zealand. _\uw they came nearer home, for they had n "jungle" ttorv in I'arnell. borne days ago, with Dr.' MakKill and the Borough Health Inspector 'J? v ' bltt, !,, l '«'° shanties in Portland hvreet. I hose buildings were in a disgraceful condition and were condemned by tho. Health Officer, and rightly -o The party then went to some premies in another part of the borough where a fell business was carried on. The shop appeared uicc and dean, but Ihe dwellngliDiiEc disclosed n disgraceful condition of aflairs. In tho lower story filth ot every description was seen and oysters from a. sack wero being opened on a'dirtv bench. Upstairs there was. a frightful and disgusting condition of affair* It was surprising that people could live in such filth. These premises were al-o rightly condemned. The .Mayor -aid he would pass over one or two other places the parly visited. He, however, referred to a hovel where seven or eight Chinamen wero domiciled. This building, he said, literally reeked with repugnant odours, and was not a fit habitation for people who handled food which was supP led to white people. A little further along the party found a creek dammed. Uiis/crcek was contaminated by sewa»e and m it wore placed carrots, turnips, and other vegetables for the purpose of wasli-

"If I'hadl the power," proceeded J[r. Bnggs indignantly, "I would let Mr. lerry out of the asylum and would arm him, not with a revolver, but with a gatling gun." <JiH }! ay ? T, "' inclusion, moved :- in-f,, f i P° r ? u ,S h s sanitary inspector bo instructed to take the nccossarv steps to at once carry out the district health officer s recommendation'." fin " T homa ?' '" «condiii 3 the motion, said he had the privilege, Imt not the pleasure, ot visiting the premie referred to a couple of days prior to the ft B *? , ,!'" 1 , C .°" M I,ssm '° ™'»cil - lors that his Worship's statements were n!,i,r°i ! ?i y , e -"«eiated. They should publicly thank thru- sanitary inspector for bringing the condition of tho-e places under notice. There were while people who lived in worse conditions than (he Chinamen referred to, and worse than these were the people who owned the properties.. The health officer thould be supported in every possible way in suppressing those menaces to health in the district, i ~J [r - }). L ° n ? referred to the need of the public being safeguarded. He had not previously heard of the Chinese washing vegetables in a dirty creek, and he trusted that effective legal measures would soon put a stop to the nuisance. He was up against slumdom every day in the week, but he considered that tho handling ot food under insanitary conditions was a greater evil in this country than the slum evil. During the pnst (wo years much had been riono in the J'aniel! district to eliminate, slums, but there were still a number of places that required pulling down. 'II everyone supported the Chine-e as much as I do." concluded .Mr. Loii" "the Chinese v;ould soon go back to their own country.'.

31 r. \\. Johns said there were also othsr places besides those mentioned that needed attention. It was, however, well to make a beginning with a view to clearin? out everything insanitary in the borough. Ihe Jlayors motion was then put and carried unanimously. Votes of thanks were passed to the district health officer and also lo the council's sanitary inspector.