SANITARY SYSTEM

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 174, 20 April 1937, Page 5

SANITARY SYSTEM

Letter From Department ■ of Health UPPER HUTT POSITION Criticism of the contents of a letter from the Department of Health was levelled by the Upper Hutt Borough Council at a meeting last night. It was noted in the letter that the council had decided upon the purchase . of a tank lorry for the disposal of nightaoil, and an emphatic request was. made , that the council might reconsider its decision and adopt the sealed pan system. It was decided to advise the Department of Health that the council could not see its way clear to alter its decision, but that it would guarantee that the work would be carried out to the satisfaction of the department. By the sealed pan system, the letter pointed out, the admitted disadvantages of nighteoil collection would be great y minimised. Collection, moreover, could be made in the daytime and working conditions correspondingly improved. It was feared the purchase of a tank lorry would perpetuate the present undesirable method of collection. “It. seems to me that this is a domestic matter,” said Or. F. I’. Keys. “I fail to see why the Health Department should make this suggestion. 1 don t know anything more objectionable than the carrying out of sanitation in the daytime. This council has spent a considerable amount of time in going very fully into tins matter, and after a long time decided on a tank lorry. It seems an absurdity ro hie to say you should carry out a system of sanitation in the daytime.” » Cr AV. Greig said surely the purchase of a tank lorry was an improvement on what had.existed. He failed to unde/’stand whv the department should lit this late stage step in and suggest an alteraCr. J. I’lirvis said he believed in the sealed pan system, but lie hoped the time was not far distant when the council would consider a sewerage system. Installation of a sealed pan system was, he thought, a neerlless expense at the present time, as it might be that in three or four years the council may be forced into a sewerage system. The reason why the sealed pan system had been objected to was because of expense. said Cr. J. Blewman. The council had decided on a change and he thought that: would meet with the approval of ratepayers. Several councillors criticised the suggestion that collections of nightsoil should be made in the daytime.