VALUE OF FRESH AIR

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 102, 2 May 1919, Page 7

VALUE OF FRESH AIR

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —An inspection of Wellington's public halls, churches, opera houses, and public buildings reveals, the absolute necessity of proper ventilation being provided. The usual experience is to find these buildings crowded, often to their utmost seating capacity, the atmosphere stuffy, and correspondingly impure, all windows and doors closed, and the ventilation provided totally inadequate, just the breeding ground for another. virulent epidemic of influenza. Surely with the tragic experience of Great Britain, and the possible visitation of another outbreak in New Zealand, it is time our Mayor and _ City Councillors rose to a sense of their responsibility in this matter. The over-crowding of tram cars should be immediately stopped, in the interests of public health, especially in the next few months, when, winter conditions encourage infectious catarrhal diseases. No tram should be allowed to carry more than its licensed seating capacity. Probably it would be too much to j expect the City Council to carry out restrictions in a sphere where it is so financially concerned. It is apparent also, that a close supervision should be kept on all shops, restaurants, dining rooms, etc.. and regulation's be enforced hi regard to proper ventilation and overcrowding. A splendid opportunity now exists for the City Council to educate the citizens of Wellington up to the value of fresh air, which, unfortunately, through ignorance, appeal's to be often more dreaded than any virulent infection.—l am, etc., SANITATION,