SANITATION IN UPPER HUTT

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 45, 17 November 1936, Page 5

SANITATION IN UPPER HUTT

Changes in View NEW DEPOT SITE BEING CONSIDERED It was stated at Inst night's meeting of the Upper Hutt Borough Council that a new site for the nightsoil, depot had been inspected and the district medical officer of health. Dr. S. F. Maclean, had been asked to inspect it. >he <lispo>,al of nightsoil in a septic tank and the institution of a scaled pan system also were discussed. , , Contradicting an assertion that t e council had neglected to reply tl ’ •’ “ ter of complaint' b.v residents Of ’> Uak<lfiki Street, the mayor, Mr. , ' ■ Curdv, read the following reply uh ch had been written b.v the town deik Idated June 25) : ’I have to receipt of a petition signed by • sU ami 14 other residents ot. • ti Street I have now been instituted to advfise that Prior to the purchase of this land (he medical officer of alth snected the area and approv'd ot tilt site. Under the proposed system "„ 01k ' ing the land no nuisance will occut. Councillor Leaves Table. While correspondence the council had conducted since 1931 , e . nflci ‘Cr dispose of nightsoil was being read, U ■ F P P. Keys’protested that it was unneeessnry for the council to ' Kev«< said they needed only toiitspon den'ce touching the finding 01 a LYid The mayor replied that statements had been made round the district baseless- and councillors had a i« 1H have their reputation cleared by the lead ing of the letters. . . Cr Keys protested vehemently at mi at he said was P a waste of time and fu ’ filled previous threats by putting o hat and walking out of the bidins. he mayor continuing to address the “Vhe letters concerned t] ' e succwwful endeavours, ‘"'l... t L e Health Department s instruction that the Moonshine Road depot be closed, to arrange the disposal of nightsoil by oftei ing it as manure to the Prisons Depart, ment. and endeavours to secure sites tor the depot other than the present one. Cr W. Greig agreed with Cr. Keys, although he said Cr. Keys should not have left the table. ... ■ • „„ Cr. A. Sutherland enjoined patience. It was only 5.30. f , Saying he would look for Cr. Keys, Li. A. Howell went outside. The two returned about 10 minutes later. Cr. Keys resumed his seat, saying he was returning purely from a sense of duty to the ratepayers. New Site Examined. During Cr. Keys’s absence the reading of the letters was completed. The mayor said land had been examined in the previous few days and tlie district health officer had been asked to inspect it. He could not do so for a week, however, and the council could do nothing that night. Later in the meeting Cr. Keys complained of councillors’ deliberations of the previous- day having become publicknowledge, although secrecy had been enjoined. Before the council meeting he jiad been disappointed to find a breach of confidence had occurred. Too much publicity had been given to the subject, which was- detrimental to the borough. Cr. A. Sutherland remarked that most of the publicity had come from the people of Wbakntiki Street. Septic Tank Proposal. Cr. J. S. Baskctt raised a proposal that the council dispose of the soil in a septic tank, but the mayor said the Health Department had objected to a septic tank because a hopper had to be used, and that device might cause a nuisance. Cr. Blewnian expressed the opinion that, in view of the difficulty of securing a site for the depot and the council’s intentions with regard to a likely new one becoming known, the installation of a septic tank seemed necessary. Other councillors also spoke of the difficulty of .securing sites, in spite of what people said to the contrary. It was resolved that the council ask the district medical officer of health to confer with it on the subject of sanitation in the borough, the proposed new sanitary depot site, a septic tank, and the sealed pan system. The mayor emphasised the advantages of the sealed-tank system which, he said, made the transport of nightsoil clean and odourless and a day-time task, A notice of motion by the mayor, “That a sealed-pan sanitary service be established in the borough, to commence on April 1, 11)37 (next financial year),” was held over until the conference with Dr. Maclean, and a motion "That the services of an employee be devoted to work connected with rubbish tip, sanitary depot and street cleaning, and an additional roadman for the current financial year be engaged.” was held over until next conn-, eil meeting.