ST. KILDA TIP.

Evening Star, Issue 25715, 12 February 1946, Page 4

ST. KILDA TIP.

For years the St. Kilda tip has been something of a shuttlecock in public opinion. Its control, its proximity to {ho city, and its menace to public health have been the most frequent and the most exaggerated matters for contention. To what extent the tip may have been responsible for the periodic plagues of flies and more sporadic rat visitations within the borough itself remains debatable, but there is no doubt at all that flies and rats do breed in the tip as it is at present controlled, although it is probable that most of the vermin bred there remain about it, since there is food a-plenty for them. The tip is an eyesore, untidy and often evil-smelling. The manner in whicli it has been controlled, suggests a lack of proper supervision, and a lack of appreciation of the responsibilities owed by public bodies to public health. So long as any tip is built up as is the St. Kilda tip, with foodstuffs and vegetable refuse allowed to lie exposed well away from consuming fires, there must exist at least an incipient threat to the health of the people. After years of discussion, none of which Iwb resulted in action, the Health Department, probably inspired by fhe current poliomyelitis epidemic, has ordered immediate steps to be taken to improve conditions, failing which the tip will be closed down. Three bodies are affected by the order —the St. Kilda Borough Council, the Citv Council, and the Ocean Beach j Domain Board. The last has already announced its readiness to release control of the tip and permit it to come under the control of the two councils, which is the initial step in the right direction. The bulk of the rubbish deposited at St: Kilda comes from the city area, and the St. Kilda and City Councils have borne the costs involved.in the maintenance of the tip in the proportions of one-tenth and nine-tenths. | Under the new proposal whereby the tip will be properly controlled in accordance with the Health Department's demands, St.. Kilda's contribution towards upkeep will be substantially increased, but that is an aspect that cannot be allowed to colour any arguments if in the endHhe result will be in the public interest. Controlled tips, _in which the fundamentals are a limited face, a limited height, and the keeping of everything covered, are worldwide and are met with far more frequently than destructors, which actually are falling into disfavour where they are used. In many.cases destructors have been discontinued, and a case in point is that of Christchurch, where the city destructor has been, or is about' to be, closed down, and rubbish disposed of in a controlled tip. In a controlled tip there is no haphazard dumping, as at St. Kilda. All tins, drums, and bulky material are flattened, thus ensuring an even, solid level, and all decomposing refuse is at once covered, to rot away underground, allowing of: no escape of obnoxious effluvia, while the very heat engendered by decomposition prevents the breeding of vermin. Such a tip, to which much of the filth of a city ultimately finds its way, can be made a tidy, unobtrusive, and salubrious corner, and it is suck a tip that is proposed for St. Kilda. The steps now suggested should have been taken years ago, and that this is realised is apparent in the quick concuiTence of the St. Kilda Council with the proposals, and the stand taken by the Public Works Committee of the City Council. It is to be hoped that no time will be lost in effecting the promised improvement. Public health is a paramount consideration, and even if. the tip in its present state is only a minor menace, nothing should stand in the way of disposing of that menace with despatch. It must be remembered that dozens of children daily play within a stone's throw of the tip, and often enough in and around it.

The following notes on the weather for January have been supplied by the Director of Meteorlogical Services:— January was on the whole sunny and rather cool with winds from a westerly quarter prevailing. The centres of depressions affecting this country have been passing near or more often well to the south of the South Island, and although Westland, Otago, and Southland have had a wet month, rainfall has been abnormally low elsewhere, and the amounts received in Auckland and Hawke's Bay have been negligible for agricultural purposes. Exceptionally dry weather has prevailed in these provinces since October and winds have increased the seriousness of the position. Pastures have ... been scorched and smaller water supplies have failed and it has been difficult to find fodder and water for stock. Dairy production naturally has suffered badly, except in Taranaki, where satisfactory rains have fallen. In the South Island crops are promising well. Growth in many ; districts is still late, not having recovered fully lfrom the unusual coldness of December.

The Canterbury Baking Trades Employees' Union yesterday announced that in a ballot on a five-day, 40-hour week against -a six-day 40-hour week. 95 per cent, of the members who voted were prepared to endorse the action of the main North Island branches of the union in refusing to make or bake bread, pastrycooks' smallgoods, and products of pie bakeries except on live davs a week from Monday to Friday inclusive. Mr M. C. R. Gillard. secretary of the union, said that, notwithstanding the result 1 of the ballot, his committee was deferring any action by members until a clarification of the statement on February 7 by the Acting Minister of Labour, Mr O'Brien, had been received from the head office of the union.

Approximately 50 applications for approval of the transfer of properties came before the Otago Land Sales Committee this afternoon. There was only one contested case, the Crown challenging the transfer of a property known as 808 Cumberland street from the Public Trustee, acting in J bo estate of Robert Ferguson, to James * Rough Kairbairn on the grounds of aggregation. The consideration involved was £2,:525.

" Recent appointments to the Legis-' lative Council serve to emphasise that the retention of this practically moribund body is a sheer waste of public money," said Mr F. M. Earle, Dominion secretary of the Democratic Labour Party, in a statement bust night. " The present Government, which once rightly pledged itself to abolish the Legislative Council, nas found, like previous Governments, that it is convenient for the bestowal of political rewards to elderly stalwarts at the public's expense. This bill, seeing that Legislative Councillors are appointed for a period of seven years, at a salary of £3BO iper year, plus privileges, is not inconsiderable. The Democratic Labour Party feels that the majority of responsible citizens would commend the abolition of the Legislative Council as at present constituted, and looks forward to seeing its infrequent and slumberous deliberations summarily terminated." The latest Auckland craze is home baking. Women are turning out not only their own week-end bread, but bread for the mid-week days also (says the ' Star '). Some of them say they never realised how easy it is to bake j their own. In some homes oldfashioned loaves of the curly-twist i variety are being baked in quantities, I and many a home-made.loaf goes over the neighbour's fence as mother boasts of her ability as a baker. All varieties of fancy breads are being baked, too. Of these there is a wide, if not infinite variety. It is said that in some households more bread is being consumed to-. day than ever before, because the kind that mother makes has a distinctive and appealing flavour. In 19 days, Peter Martin, a sixteen-year-old resident of Nelson street, Petone, hitch-hiked over 1,500 miles through the North Island, his expenses for fhe trip amounting to less than £l. Martin who begins a course in architecture at the Wellington Technical College this year, travelled as far north as Awanui, four miles from Kaitaia. His sole equipment was a waterproof sleeping-bag cover, a 301 b pack, and two thumbs, which he wielded to such advantage that he was not forced to walk any great distances. On the first night of •his holiday he slept in a haystack, and during the succeeding days ho repeated the performance twice. At Hamilton he was joined by a fifteen-year-old friend, Clive Woods, and together they travelled through North Auckland and to Taupo and Rotorua.

Sympathy with the people of Great Britain who had suffered a further reduction in their food rations was expressed by the Mayor (Mr D. C. Cameron) at the fortnightly meeting of the City Council last night. The following minute, submitted by the Mayor, was unanimously endorsed: " I desire, by this minute, to assure the people-of Britain of our intense regret at the need for further restrictions, and to convey to the New Zealand Government the hearty co-opera-tion and whole-hearted assistance of the citizens of Dunedin in any proposals whicli the Government may be considering for assistance. The need is urgent and we recommend that a Dominion movement be inaugurated immediately to assist Britain to obtain further supplies of food."

The prolonged dry weather in the Auckland district is having a serious affect upon poultry flocks, the lack or essential vitamins in green feed causing a deficiency disease, which is taking -a heavy toll of birds (says the 'Herald). Poultry-keepers with large flocks are losing up to 50 birds a day from nutritional Toup, and losses in the Henderson area have been so heavy that people have complained ot tho nuisance caused by smoke from the daily pyres built by poultry-keepers to destroy the bodies of dead birds. Leading poultry farmers say that> if Josses continue at the present rate tho whole future of the industry may be seriously affected. In connection with the announcement that Lord Louis Mountbatten will visit only centres in the North. Island, the following telegram of protest was sent yesterday by the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce to the Minister of Internal Affairs:—" Dunedin Chamber of Commerce joins with other Dunedin bodies in protesting against the omission of Dunedin from the itinerary of Lord Louis Mountbatten. Strong! v urges reconsideration of programme" as it considers southern cities have equal rights with North Island to visits from distinguished visitors.

The Wellington Master Bakers Union at a meeting held yesterday afternoon, decided to inform the Government and the Press that it had decided to accept the present position under protest and await the sitting ot the Arbitration Court to fix future conditions. In the' meantime, the public is assured of sufficient supplies of bread on Fridays for the week-end.

A formal order prohibiting the importation into New Zealand of lockpicking equipment made by a New York lock company, and also similar lock-picking devices without the consent of the Minister of Customs, was issued with a recent ' Gazette.' The preamble to the order states that it is considered that it is necessary in the public ' interest. His Honour Mr Justice Kennedy has granted probate in the estates of the Following:—Alfred Henry Naish (Oamaru), Tetired nurseryman; Marjory Naish, widow; Sarah McCready Cameron, widow. Letters of administration were granted in the estate'of Ann Wiliman Sinclair (Maheno), married woman.

Flies and their origins formed a subject for prolonged discussion at last night's meeting of the St. Kilda Council. A letter received from a resident claimed that he was plagued by visitations of the pests, and, though he had used all kinds of measures against them, including D.D.T., in such quantities that the health of his family was affected, he was unable to cope with them He attributed the prevalence of the fly to vho popularity of the compost heap, and several speakers amongst the councillor* agreed with him. Cr E. Lougworth commented that it was a pity that D.D.T. by Government regulation was marketed in such diluto form, as it had been apparently most successful overseas. He, like most other speakers who participated in the discussion, regarded to-day's fashion for compost heaps as a most deterrent factor in the matter of efficient fly control. Certain it is that the really keen gardenft- is delighted with a profusion of what anglers euphemistically call " gentles " in the pile of rotting humus which has a place in so many back yards. Last week 253 places in the Dominion attained their quotas of national savings. All the principal centres were ' successful, and in each of the 20 postal districts the full district quota was reached. In the Nelson, Oamanu, Timaru, and Westport postal _ districts all | areas again obtained their individual i quotas. Investments generally are being well maintained, as evidenced by the fact that 157 places in the Dominion have now exceeded their full annual objectives. It is noteworthy also that all places in the _ Oamaru, Timaru. and Westport districts have now recorded their annual quotas, the investments ' in some cases being considerably in excess of the prescribed amounts.