DISGUSTING CASE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 68, 21 March 1906, Page 8

DISGUSTING CASE.

A MENACE TO PUBLIC HEALTH. EUROPEAN DEALER IMPLICATED. MAXIMUM FINE IMPOSED. Some startling revelations of filthy conditions existing in the neart of the city were made in a c^.s" heard at the Police Court to-.lay. The City Inspector (Mr. James Doyle) described ifc as absolutely the worst case that had ever c^me under his notice, and said he would not be content vntil he had ch.tsed the defendant out of the town. The defendant was a general dealer named James Phillips, carrying on business at the corner of Frederick and Haining streets, and he was charged under seclion 181 of the City Bylaws with having on the 16th March suffered offensive vubbish to remain on his premises. The presiding Justices were Me&firs. Wm. M'Lean, J. S.uniders, and C. B Rogers. Mr. Doyls. in opening the ca&e, said the defendant seemed to have a mania for collecting rubbish of all kinds, which was a menace to the public health. He had the premises in question under observation, but had been unable to catch him at heme fov several <Uys. Last week the smell from the place was pronounced, and he warned him without effect. The defendant scraped up the filth iv his yard, and left it there. Sub-sequc-Ltly he ;the Inspector) sent two men to examine the premises, and they found there three loads of rotten bananas. He asked the Bench after hearing the evidence which he would call to impose the maximum penalty, and ho pioposad to bring him before the Court every week if necessary, and to make a similar application until he chased him out 'of town. George Watson, a Corporation Inspector, deposed that he found in one of the defendant's rooms sixty casas of putrid bananas. The stench from the place was so bad that people on the opposite side of the btreet had to close their windows. Witness gave the defendant five hours' notice to clear the place, and he got three dray loads of refuse taken away. The eases in which ths bananas had been kept were left behind, and the stench from these was awful. It was absolutely tho worst case that he had ever seen. Defendant purchased the bananas at sixpence per case, knowing that they were bad. Even the Chinese complained about them. The defendant: Do you know where the bananas came from? Witness : No. Only that you s.iid you bought them at the sale, and gave sixpence a case for them. The defendant : Why were they not condemned then? The Chairman of the Bench : The witness is not responsible for the sale. The defendant: I consider the party who sold them, was responsible for them. He then asked the witness how long they were in his premises. Witness : A week. I tried twice to get into your place, and failed. Albert Edward T.iylor, another Corporation Inspector, deposed to having found live poultry on the defendant's premises. Some were in crates, six fowls were tied in a rotten sack, three ducks were in a, case, and twenty birds were running about the yard. The place was hill of Slth — worn?, in f.ict, than any place he had ever seen. This morning he visited: the defendant's piemises again, and found there two sack. One contained four live ducks and tho other two fowls. The necks of the jacks were twisted round tightly, and the birds were in danger of suffocation. The Chairman : Such a case is for the Society for tha Prevention of Cruelty to Animab. j Witness went on to say that tho place was also full of lumber. Defendant : Was there any furniture in tho yard? . Witaess : Yes. It is stacked with furniture. Defendant : Why didn't you tell his Worship it was furniture? Witness: Furniture does not smell. Defendant. Them why call it lumber? The Bench : Next witness. . Martha M. Harris* stated that she resided two doors from the defendant's premises. On Tuesday morning there was an awful snvell coming from the defendant's" premises. For a time she did not know where it came from. On the following Friday morning she told her father, and he instructed hrr to inform j Mr. Doylo of the matter. They sent for him, and the rubbish was removed on Saturday. Her father went to the defendant" with a constable, and the defendant stated that ho was burning the rubbish in a copper. It was a wonder that every one in: the locality was not fevor-stricken. She never knew anything like it in her life. The Chairman, addressing tho defendant, stated that if he purchased bananas under any false pretence from an aiuc'tioneer he might have a case against the auctioneer, but that had nothing to do with the present proceedings. This appeared to be a bad case. If the defendant were; a Chinaman he -would be fined tho maximum penalty, and the Bench was not going to make any distinction between Chinese and Europeans. The maximum penalty of £5, with 15s costs, would bo imposed. This class of offence must be put down. The defendant: The misfortune on my part is buying the bananas. Inspector Doyle: I have known you before to have sides of bacon stuck under j your house. The defendant is a middle-aged man, and is said to have lived alone in thepremises in question.

Mr. H. A. Fox, who for a number of years has acted «s manager in New Zealand, for the Vacuum Oil Company, has relinquished his position, having purchased an- interest in Yerex, Barker and Finlay (Ltd.). Mr. Fox is to take over the management of the ' System Department, and will enter upon his now duties ati an early date. Messrs. Harcourt and Co. draw attention to tho following auction sales, to bo held at thoir rooms, 46, Lambton-quay. To-morrow (Thursday), at 2 p.m., they will offer for salo furniture, pianos, bedsteads, bicycles, etc., .etc On Tuesday, 271h March, a picco of land at Hataitai, having a frontage of 494 ft by a depth of 217 ft lOin. .On Friday, 6th April, at 2.30 p.m., a property situated in tho contro of the city, having a frontago of 26ft 9in to Ebor-streot, and a frontago ot 81ft to a 9ft right-of-way off Ebor-street, together with a two-story dwelling of four rooms thereon. On tho satno day they will offer tho following Potone proper■ties, comprising a business site, having a frontago of 116 ft to Jackson-stroot, 116 ft to Richmond-stroot, and 104 ft to a 20ft ■right-of-way, with a five-roomed dwelling thereon. Lots 46 and 47, Queen-street,. PetonD, each with a frontage of 40fb by a 'dopth of 100 ft, with tho two six-roomnd dwellings thereon. Section 5, Potono, having a frontago of 50ft to Britanniabtroot, by a dopth of 130 ft, and adjoining the rcbidenco of Mr. E. J. Anderson, •seotion No. 185, Buick-stroet, Pctono, having a frontage of 39ft 7in to Buiclcslreet by n depth of 112 ft. Section No. 23T on tho plan of tho Buick Estate, having a frontago of 39ft 7in to tho Esplanade by a depth of 100 ft. Lot No. 3> on the plan of lhr> subdivision of part of section N o . 7, having a frontago of 72ft to Cuba-street, by a depth of 330 ft, with the six-roomed residence thereon.