GARBAGE COLLECTION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22593, 23 March 1948, Page 4

GARBAGE COLLECTION

Sir, —I have never seen a better system than Gisborne's for . collecting garbage. The man comes in with an empty can, tips the garbage from your can into his and is away in no time. It is not hard work, and the man needs no help. In a large Sydney suburb where I lived the last four years, the contract specified that the garbage was to be collected from the back yard. E. J. CARTHEW.

Sir, —Your editorial in last Saturday’s issue calls for some comment. • The statement that garbage collecting is unproductive work is very weak. It is an essential job. The main issue in one correspondent’s letter was sidestepped. ‘‘What was the cost of change-over from carts to lorries? What happened to t\a lorries when they reverted to the cart? The public have a right to know, and the town clerk should provide them with the information, COMMON SENSE.

[No one has ever denied that garbage collection was essential. The lorry versus cart issue was introduced by correspondents, not by the editorials; these Were confined to the question as to where the rubbish should be picked up. Certain irrelevancies which might have turned this discussion into a political debate have been deleted—Ed Herald.]

Sir. —May I congratulate The Herald on the leading article re garbage collection. Surely, with the town going ahead as it is and more sorely needed houses being built, the accumulation of the weekly rubbish will need to be collected in a quicker and more uniform way. Speaking for myself and other near neighbours who reside very close to the borough but have no garbage collection at all (take note our rates are no less), we would be only too pleased to be able to take our rubbish to our gates for some one to collect. As it is, we have the everlasting job of digging holes to dispose of it. It seems that the more people have done for them the more they expect. As for the old people who are unable to carry their tins, I feel sure the collectors would be just as obliging as the milkmen are in leaving old people’s milk right at their front doors. In short, they would not mind going in for their small amount of rubbish. Surely 100, the “heavy” task for the man of the house could be lightened by some one taking the other side of (he bin and helping poor old dad out to the gate.

Nice tidy bins, clean Inside and out, would be no eyesore to anyone if left at the gates and would be whisked away in no time with a fast moving lorry. No doubt much more could be done to the footpaths and so on if residents would co-operate with the powers that tae - help YOURSELF.

Sir,—Much has been said about front gate collection of garbage. First, before this is done I think our worthy Mayor and councillors should penalise those residents who allow their dogs to stray. A mixture of milk and upset garbage would be very unsavoury, at one’s front gate. Those of us who have had lectures on hygiene have been told that milk must be kept away from contamination. Therefore to leave garbage at our front gates we must return to the old system of milk delivery.

I am told that Auckland has a front gate collection. Has not Auckland also a high percentage of poliomyelitis? Certainly the present method of horse and cart is slow. A considerable amount of time can be saved by the use of a motor vehicle, but don't try and cut down on expenses by jeopardising the health of the residents, as I am sure that if a householder forgot to put his garbage at his front gate one week it will probably have to stay in his yard until the next weekly collection. By then it would be most insalubrious. There are many people living in flats who have not anywhere to bury their garbage. CANNY Sir, —In regard to garbage collectors and heavy lifting, why not supply a low wagon, so that they would not have the high lift they have at present? A man in good hard condition should then manage all right. , , But you ignore the heavy lifting for aged people and invalids, and very often the task would fall to the housewife. who is not equal to it. Your good neighbour policy sounds all right, but exactly what does it mean? Now the man is paid for his work carrying the garbage, but if the householders carry it, they work for the Borough Council, and for no pay, thus doing some good man out of a job. I notice most of the letters are for continuing as at present. I am informed by a late resident of Sydney that all contracts for garbage carrying are from the back door. Roads etc. first—yes; a good plan would be a volunteer working bee, enlisting the co-operation of the householders for that purpose. Roads, footpaths, gardens on the side of roads, and many of the leader roads could be improved by this method and good fellowship would abide. It is a bad start for the day carrying the garbage tin, but a road working bee would be quite enjoyable and practical. RESIDENT. [The heavy lirting for aged people and invalids has never been ignored by us. Our first suggestion for a solution of thi3 problem was the special dispensation which the borough collectois would no doubt grant if they _ Ji,!?’ lieved of most of the exacting drudgery. —Ed., Herald.]