SANITARY DEPOT CONDEMNED

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 41, 12 November 1936, Page 16

SANITARY DEPOT CONDEMNED

Meeting of Upper Hutt

Residents

DUMP “A GRAVE MENACE

TO HEALTH”

Resolutions condemning the action ot the Upper Hutt Borough Council in locating the nightsoil depot within the borough and expressing the view that the council bad not acted in the best inter-; ests of the borough were Passed at :i meeting of residents in the Oddlelloixs Hall last evening. The possibility of court proceedings was also mentioned. Mr. . McArley presided. Mr. T. E. Mawby said that they bad been treated with contempt by the council. to whom a petition had been sent without receiving an acknowledgement ‘‘Surely we are entitled to a little courtesy from the council,” be said. Mr. K. E. Kandell said that the matter was oue that concerned the whole borough, since it constituted a grave menace to health. Filthy carts were left about and something ought to be done toward having the depot removed to another site outside the borough. Mr. R. M. Stewart complained that the dump had been placed right opposite what was to be a big playing area. Residents had found they had a sanitary dump almost in their backyards. The councillors who had thought of the site had shown they had no thought for the district. If the men on the job failed to do their work properly, the community suffered. Cr. Keys had been the only councillor who had made a genuine attempt to have the menace removed. ‘•'Twenty years ago,” said Mr. E. W. Nicolause, “in the vicinity of the present site, there was a sanitary deposit. This was flooded, and the kite was condemned by the Health authorities. This is clear evidence that the site at present in use is liable to flood waters.” Until about three months ago, the dump had been located on the Moonshine Road. No complaints had been lodged by anyone, yet the Healtn authorities had given the council notice to quit. The reason given by the mayor in the Press had been that it was located on the bank of the river. Ample Ground Available.

“1. make the assertion that there is ample ground adjoining the late Moonshine Road site, which cannot be subject to such objection, to last the borough lor years,” Mr. Nicolause said. "Even were that not so, it is obvious to everyone with a knowledge of the district that ample laud lies outside the borough, suitable in every way for use as a deposit. What, therefore, could have been the real reason that a piece of land within the streeting area had been selected by the council for such a dangerous and disgusting public nuisance as erists at the present moment?

"The whole area of 28i acres came into the possession of the present owner, Mr. Cottle, on June 8. 1936, at the price of £000,” continued Mr. Nicolaus. "The unimproved value of the land is £420, or £l4/17/- per acre. In July, 1936, acres came into the possession of the borough of Upper Hutt in exchange for the sum of £375, or £lOO per acre. The area bought by the council is the worst part of the 28i acres from every point of view, and it is extremely doubtful whether anyone would get a permit from the council to build on it because of its liability to flood waters.” Knowledge of the liability of the site to flood and of the proximity of dwellings to the site and of the families occupying those dwellings, must have been iu the council’s possession, he said. The fact that recreation grounds were within six chains of the site, and that hundreds of visitors visited the Hutt River at this point, also that this point was an automobile camping ground, must have been well known to the mayor and all councillors and should have been made known ot the health officer.

“The Health Department sent out Dr. McLean, who is the health officer for the district, to view and report, on the present site. His report, though 1 believe not in writing, was to the effect that the site was quite satisfactory in every way,” Mr. Nicolaus said. /“After viewing and testing the ground, Dr. McLean does not seem to have given any instructions to the local inspector as to how the nightsoil should be buried. The consequence of this possible omission was that two holes were dug about sft. deep. I viewed these holes and found that they had completely fallen in, the ground being made up of a shallow layer of soil, then shingle, then large boulders. Breeding Ground for Flies.

“Other holes were then dug which 1 viewed after nightsoil had been buried. I found that they wore not adequately covered up and presented an ideal breeding ground for flies. Tile carts were in a foul condition, and no water was laid on for properly cleansing them. Still other holes have since been dug at the instance of the health officer, which are still extremely objectionable and present a grave danger to the health of the coinmu nity.

“I have never seen e‘ueh conditions among natives as we have here—we who arc civilised,” Mr. Nicolaus declared. “Assuming tiiat there was no available site outside the borough, it was the height of foolishness to locate one which had been condemned on account of flooding. Ifiit were the only available silo, instead of paying £lOO per acre for £2O an acre land, it should have been taken under the Public Works Act on valuation.

"The council is. therefore, to be condemned for this foolish action, and must be forced to retire the sanitary deposit to some locality outside the borough. Should to-night's meeting fail to move the council in the right ami proper direction, further action will be taken which will necessitate the, exposure of matters in addition to the one at present under fire. "The residents of the Upper Hutt do not wish to be forced into taking court action and so bring the borough into undesirable limelight, but the stubborn resistance of the council will make this inevitable." “Breach of 'Trust.” Ur. F. P. Keys expressed disappointment. that the mayor was not. present, and recalled that in his opposition to the proposal he had told the council that the price was excessive. He had also said that it was a breach of trust to those who had made their homes there. He praised the work done by Cr. Greig, ami said that the council had had ample opportunity to look for a proper sanitary location. He had such a site in mind, and the council should get rid of the obnoxious thing from the locality. Cr. A. Sutherland said that Cr. Greig had tried to find a place outside the borough and had not spared either time or trouble. The council had made a great mistake when they had not taken the offer of a private contractor to collect the matter and dispose of it at a place and in a. manner approved by the health authorities. “1 would like to offer my seat to Mr. Nicolaus,'" said Cr. Sutherland. “I. am sure he would be a most valuable addition to the council.” Cr. ,1. Blewman said that the reason wily they had had to shift from the Moonshine site was that the dump was encroaching on the roadway. The council had decided to go to Whakatiki temporarily, and the public services committee were still looking around for a satisfactory site. Cr. G. 11. Guthrie said that the difficulty was twofold. They had to find and acquire an area for the dump, and it had to receive the approval of the Health Department. Mr. Nicolaus asked that monetary subscriptions might bn forwarded to him so that the matter might be contested in court:. De was determined to see the menjrwoyed, mwl if a. ulebiscilu oL the

whole borough was necessary he would taken one. so that the residents’ opinion co-tld be shown, and the council be forced to take action.

The meeting passed the following recoin tione _ “That this meeting condemns the action of the Upper Hutt Borough Council in locating the nightsoil depot within (he borough."

“'That this meeting convinced that the council has not acted in this primarily important matter in the best interests of the people, and it demands that an area outside the borough and suitable as a nightsoil depot be taken under the Public Works Act forthwith.'’