SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

Evening Star, Issue 11895, 25 May 1903, Page 3

SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

WELLINGTON, May 25. In his annual report to the City Council the Corporation inspector opens up a very important question as to provision being required for dealing with unsound food. The provisions of the Public Health Act. 1900, appear to be intended to apply to food offered for or intended for sale fer human food, and involve proceedings against responsible persons, but the Actdoes not apply to cases where the food becomes bad in transit, and where no proceedings beyond condemnation are desirable or necessary. In such cases the inspector doubts if the District Health Officer has power to condemn. In connection with the record price obtained by the sale of property on Lambton quay, it may be stated as an illustration of the commercial advantages enjoyed by Wellington that ten years ago Mrs Rhodes, widow of the late Hon W B. Rhodes, purchased the land in question for about £IOO per foot, and she has now disposed of it at an increase of £l7O a foot, the total purchase money representing close on £B,OOO. Though Mr Barron, of the Bradford Woollen Company, is reported to be the purchaser, it is understood that the •Union Bank are the new owners. Their banking establishment adjoins the land in question.

Superintendent Hugo, of the fire brigade, in his annual report to the City Council, points out a terrible danger which furnished food for serious thought. 1? is the possibility of fire at the Mount View Asylum He says that ever since bis arrival here he has dreaded the consequences of fire at that institution, though he admits that the Government have been very far from neglectful in this matter. Through their officer in charge of public buildings every precaution has been taken that is possible in the buildings as they exist. The very cleanliness and order in which the buildings are maintained adds greatly to the danger. The polishing of floors, etc., with turpentine and beeswax has rendered them so highly inflammable that fire would run along with great rapidity, and nothing short of rebuilding the institution in brick or stone will give any degree of safety to the lives of the inmates from a fire risk point of view. Your representative has had occasion to frequently visit the institution on business matters, and he cordially endorses the timely remarks made by Mr Hugo. H a fire were to break out the consequences would probably be appalling.