BOARD OF HEALTH

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 9819, 19 July 1900, Page 4

BOARD OF HEALTH

Sanitation of Napier.

The Napier Borough Council sat as the local Board of Health after their ordinary meeting last night. Present: The Mayor (Mr G. H. Swan) and Crs. F. G. Smith, W. Plowman, T. Laws, C. H. Edwards, H. P. Coben, and G. Faulknor. CORRESPONDENCE. The Land and Loan Company protested.against certain cottages fronting Waghome street being called insanitary, and also against the undignified language used in the Health Commissioner's report. They had employed a well-known architect, Mr Finch, who stated that there was ample room for air to circulate under the cottages, and estimated the cost of carrying out the work of raising, fillingin, etc., at £370. This would nofrincrease the value of the property or enable the cottages to be let more readily. Tbey objected to the Council allowing propeny to be designated a "Dog Kennel Row," which would seriously affect its value for letting purposes.—lt was resolved that a copy of the letter be sent to the Heal; h Commissioner. committee's report. The report of the committee of the whole Council on the Health Commissioner's report as previously published rathe Daily Telegraph, was submitted, the following clause having been added : —" Your cr-mmittee would also suggest to the Health with reference to the last paragraph of his report of the 3rd July (stating that the Council's duties consisted of more than titivating Hastings street and adorning the Marine Parade), that he should in futureconfine himself to hie own duties and not interfere wiih tho-e of the Council."

The Mayor rnowd, seconded by Cr. Edwarcs, that the report of the committee be adopted.

Cr. Coheu stiid the report contained a lot of debateable matter, and as it was now nearly 11 o'clock he moved as ait amendment that further consideration be postponed till next meeting. He advocated the appointment of an independent Health Officer for the borough, being of opinion that it was an anomaly for that official to be also the Government Commissioner. ; The amendment was agreed to. HEALTH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. The Mayor said two fresh reports had been received from the Health Commissioner, Dr. de Lisle, and although the hour was late they might be read and consideration postponed. This course was adopted and the following reports read :—

Napier, 16th July, 1900. " As I was not honored with an invitation to be present at the deliberations of the Health Committee, nor favored. with a copy of their report, I am relying on the accuracy uf the >eport publishtd. in the Napier Daily Telegraph.

" The house occupied by Mr Morrison in Wellesley road is unfit; for occupation and dangerous to health in its present condition.

" Sto.rm-watfT Channel.—lf this only carries tuiiace water, it is often very foul, leading to the suggestion that there is some pollution.

" Shakespeare road Gully.—•• Council have no power unless proved insanitary." A g'eat deal drains into it, and nothing out of it. Q.E.D.

"Burns load. — The nuisance in the paddock is caused by other houses draining into it besides Mr Hoad.'ey's. I am glad to iearn that there will be one house less draining into it, but I should like to see some effort to abate the nuisance on the lines indicated by me.

" Wajihornt; street, Land and Loan paiiy'a Buildings.—lt is gratifying to iearn that the arthitecD considers the premises in eood order, but opinions differ. I should not have troubled you with any report on them if I , did not conddtr that they were insanitary in their present condition.

" Carlyle street. —Cottage oppositetheExchange Hotel. It should be cottages, there are seve'ail of them.

" Sewer Outfall. —1 am glad to learn that the report of Mr Napier Bell is entirely satisfactory, -and wish that ther condition of the outfall was also.

" Dickens street —I fail to notice any refeience to the cottages on the wesfc side of Dalton street. I would be glad to know what the Health Committee intend doing in the matter." Napier, 17th July, 1900. " In former reports I made no allusionto the collection and dispos-al of night&oil, as I was under the impression that; the pan system would, at an early date, be superseded by the water-closet, and regret to find myself mistaken. I would strongly lecommend that the preseutsystem of open sinale pans be superseded by double dosed pans. By substituting Urn measure the collectionof the nightsoil would cease to be the nuisance that it is at present. As far as I am aware there is no soil near Napier suitable for the depo-it of nightsoil. All the ground round Seinde Island is low and damp, and does i oo lend itself readily to rapid uitrificatiou. I would therefore recommend that as you contemplate' getting a destructor, jou should obtain one capa-/ ble of dealing with the nightsoil as well as the rubbisn. The milkmen of Napier are in the habit of bailing the milk out of the cans at the customers' doors. This" unpleasant method of delivering milk has been discarded in* many towns in favor of taps fitted with cans. I would strongly recommend that the use of taps be insisted on. > "At the corner of Craven street and Thackeray street, on the west side of the former, is a stable that has no proper drainage. A 1 the drainage flows on to the section and under the house on the north side of ir. The section is below the level of the road, and requires raising. The house needs raising also, and the ground on which ir, stands should be coated with roach lime before it is» brought up to the level. The house on the opposite corner has a bad sanitary record, typhoid and diphtheria having occurred in it. One of the rooms has an unpleasant and fusty smell. The section is somewhat Mow the level of the road. I lecommend that roach lime be freely applied under the house, auy garbage that may be theie being first removed, and the section filled in to the proper level.

" Hastings Street, —The premises occupied by Messrs Oates, Lowry and Co. have a pan closet too close to the workshop. As the yard is too small to allow of the closet being moved I recommend that a water closet be substituted.

" Napier Tot race—The fowl-house and yard beiiind Mr Dawson'* house is dirty and smells badly. The yard must receive a dressing of roachlimeand the fowl-house be well scrubbed with hot. water and soap, hosed with a solution of carbolic acid 1-30, or corrosive sublimate 1-1000, and then be well whitewashed."