FAVOURABLY CONSIDERED

Horowhenua Chronicle, 20 September 1928, Page 6

FAVOURABLY CONSIDERED

A RESIDENT HEALTH INSPECTOR. DEPARTMENT MAKES FRESH PROPOSALS TO BOROUGH COUNCIL. OTHER LOCAL BODIES TO BE CONSULTED. Further overtures were made by the Health Department to the Levin Borough Council at the meeting of the latter body on Monday evening, when Chief Inspector Gardner was present to lay before the Council a suggestion that it should co-operate with other local bodies in the district to' have a health- inspector stationed at Levin. A similar Vprpposal, on which no.^finality was reached, was the subject of negotiations between the Council and Dr. Shaw of the Health Department when the appointment of a. borough inspector now accomplished, was under consideration. The Council’s suggestion had been that a health inspector might be appointed for the Horowhenua-Otaki district who would also carry out other duties in the borough of Levin. Dr. Shaw- attended a special meeting on July 23rd: land put forward reasons why the appointment of a district Health officer should receive first consideration. At the next meeting, held on August 6th, the Council abandoned the proposal to appoint a health inspector and proceeded with the work of selecting a general inspector, resulting in the appointment, at a meeting held the following evening, of Mr W. J. Guinan. The duties of health inspector are at present carried out by Inspector Huggins, who is stationed at Palmerston North. THE DUTIES EXPLAINED. Inspector Gardner, at Monday’s meeting, stated that his chief, Dr. Shaw, who was to have furnished further information to the Council concerning the proposal, had been cabled away to another district and so was unable to continue the discussions. The Department’s suggestion had been that an inspector should be stationed at Levin to serve this borough, the Shannon and Otaki boroughs, the Horowhenua County, and a small portion of the Hutt County down to Paekakariki. Dr. Shaw had told the Council that the maintaining such an inspector, with travelling and other expenses, Would be between £450 and £SOO and that' the basis of. contributions would be about two-thirda to be paid by the local authorities and the remainder by the Department. It had also been pointed out to the Council that to meet that expense would mean a fairly considerable rise in the subsidy Which it wag at, present paying, as the borough was at present associated with a very, much larger group of counties. Dr. Shaw had explained that the expenditure by all the local bodies mentioned in the new proposal would show an increase. The Levin Council was the most important local authority in the district on a- population basis and would have to pay the largest quota. Next would come the llorowhenua County Council, which, on a population, basis, would p.ay a very large quota, but which would not require so much service, because all that the inspector would have to do in the county probably would be to look after infectious diseases, whereas in the borough ho 'would also have to carry out plumbing and - drainage inspection, building inspection' if necessary and all other inspections under the Health Act a-;, imposed on a local authority. The number of inspections at Shannon wore very much lighter than in the larger boroughs. The same remark practically applied to Otaki, with the proviso that that borough might have to pay a little more later if it got a drainage scheme. WHAT THE COST MAY BE.

Mr Gardner said it was. rather difficult to give precise figures until it was known what other local authorities were coming in, and on what basis. Consequently he asked the Council to take with reservation the figures he would give; he did not think they would be any higher, and it might be hoped* that they would be lower. Taking the levy tor Levin at 10d, on a population basis of 2452 (which did not include .92 Maoris on whom the borough was not assessed), the Council would have to pay £lO2. The services which it would receive in return for that would bo the infectious diseases work, plumbing and, drainage inspection, building inspection, various foodshop inspections, and various other inspections entailed by the Public Health Act. The Department felt quite su’-e that, under the proposed system, it would be able to give the whole group of local bodies a much better service than they were getting with an inspection stationed so fur away as Palmerston. . Cr. Hutchings: Would that mean an increase on what other local bodies are paying? , MV Gardner: Yes; all except the County Council probably, where we cannot show any great increase of service. The other boroughs are not as prosperous as this one. Otaki has neen through a strenuous time, and whether the increase, will be on the same basis as for Levin I am not able to say. Cr, Hutchings: There is the question whether the proposal would be likely to be turned down by the other contributing local bodies . OTHER BODIES TO CONSIDER. Mr Gardner:'l have seen the Horowhenua Oounty Council, the Shannon Borough and the Otaki Borough Council, but I am not prepared to say off-hand, till they have had, an opportunity of discussing it in their Councils, what they .would do. They would all, with the exception of the County. Council, have to pay an increased subsidy. We are prepared to meet them if we have to do it at a little loss, to make, a arrangement., Cr. Roe: What about Foxton? Dr. Shaw projmised to look into that. Mr Gardner: Wo have discussed it, and are of opinion that it had better be left out, because apparently they don’t enter very heartily into the proposition, thinking they Would bo bettor served from Palmerston. This, too, is a fairly compact, district; and 3 do not think that taking Foxton in will financially improve the scheme cither. Cr. Roe: We shall have a bitumen

road between Poxtdnsfaid here five vears ■ hence, they say. (Laughter). “ ND PREJUDICE TO BOROUGH 1 INSPECTOR. Mr Gardner; I think that Dr. Shaw went away from your meeting with very sanguine expectations as to what, you were .going to do, and that j)rebably accounts for some little delay in replying to your letter. . In the meantime you have appointed your inspector—l do not know exactly on what terms, whether just as an inspector of nuisances or that ■ in time he should qualify and take over all the duties carried out how by the Health Department. Unofficially I know that lie is desirous of doing that. The Department would be very loth to do anything or nut any proposals' before you which woiild to a certain extent be traversing any ideas that be might have in his mind. We want to be perfectly frank about thp thing. We don’t want him to think?'"that we are doing anything that is at all prejudicing his future prospects. Before we can go very much further, we have to know what you are going to do, because if you not come into the scheme it is very little good going any further with the local authorities. Your not coming into the scheme would somewhat embar rasa the Department in that it would be left with the Horowhenua County to the south and would have to come through your borough to get to the territory beyond it,, which is not economically sound. It has been suggested that if you prefer to wait and see whether you can go on with your inspector, you would be relieving the Department of an awkward position if you could join in with the County Council and make a combination of inspectors there. There is also the .alternative that the whole group of local authorities take the matter into their own hands and appoint their inspector independently of the Department altogether. In that ease they would have to find the whole 100 per cent, themselves. If you do elect to come into the group, the Department want it to be clearly understood that you will give us an agreement of some kind that there will be some permanency in coming into the group, because it avohUl not be economically sound for the Department to \appoint. a man here and for the Levin Borough Council in a year’s time to pull out of the combination because they had their own inspector. The Mayor (Mr Hobson) thanked Mr Gardner for his explanation and the frank manner in which he had put the case before the Council. His Worship went on to say that he understood that it was the intention of the Borough Inspector to go up for examination for the public health qualification in January next. In regard to the Department’s proposal, the extra expense for the Levin Borough was not very muchj and if they g'Ot value, for the money they could not complain. The inspector from Palmerston had given them very'good service for the money they had contributed.. His Worship added that he did not think that the question could be decidcd-off-hand. 1 PROPOSAL VIEWED FAVOURABLY Or. Parker said he felt that if the present proposition had been made in Dr. Shaw’s letter it would have been entirely acceptable. There would be no increase- of expense to the borough when it was taken into consideration that the health officer would do the building inspection if ithe Council wished. At that rate it was decidedly a benefit to the, borough. He could not understand why the Council had obtained such a bad viewpoint from Dr. Shaw’s letter, seeing that there must have been much in agreement with what they had heard from Mr j Gardner. Did* that letter convey thit the officer could be used as a building inspector? If so, the salary at present paid to the building inspector and the amount pqid to the Health Department would be greater, than the present-re-quirement here. The offer was a distinct advantage. Besides the possibility of; having a better service, they would probably have- a prompter service. He was” sure that, if the present proposal had come before the Council; when 1 he moved the resolution calling for- further ..consideration from the Health Department, it'would have been acceptable'. The payment to the Department and the building - inspector’s salary exceeded the amount here stated, so it would have been a-direct benefit in every way to have an officer of the Department stationed here, giving better service at less cost.- Ho count not see why the Council had not understood the offer as such at the proper time. The question now arose, Is it too late? Not necessarily so. The Council would remember that he had distinctly mentioned the fact that the Borough Inspector ■ was not. appointed for a year. The remark was made, “He is liable to a month’s notice at any time.” He did not want the thin end of the Avedge to creep in to say that the inspector avhs here for a ternU Was the Council to consider that the Department had offered it a better and more lasting scheme than the present arrangement? The Mayor: We said he had to make good, or prove himself. Cr. Falioon: Most employees of the Council are in the same position. Cr. Parker: 1 don’t want the idea to creep in that he is here for twelve months or a term of years. His Worship: It has never been brought in. Cr. Parker: We want to bo free to discuss which is the best arrangement —the Health .Department’s or our own. Cr. Goldsmith said that the-proposi-tion to'which the Council had listened seemed to be a very fair one. Mr Gardner had been very v candid with the Council, but he (Cr, Goldsmith) presumed that the proposal was contingent upon the consent of the other local authorities, even if this Council could accept it. He supposed, on. that account that the Council could only look on it as a kind of provisional offer, provided that the other locaj authorities Would come in. This Council seenl yd to have gone ahead a little fast. Probably, as Cr. Parker had remarked, if they had had the same proposition before, the result would have.beeh different. In the meantime the appointment of a borough inspector had been made. The health work of the borough was left in its former position and would thus remain, he presumed, until something else happened - . That would no doubt depend on whether the

inspector who had been appointed was suitable and; whether he would pass the; examination -and+become competent to eaiyy out inspestions under the Health Act. He did not think that the Council could proceed any further with the proposal until. t-hey.-knew-’ how it was going to be received elsewhere. If the Council had taken his advice, they would • have waited until they heard more from the Health Department. He had always thought that it would be a very fine thing,for the borough if they could get an officer of the Department stationed at Levin. , V: “A TEMPTING OFFER. * * Cr. Hutchings said he was very disappointed that the Council had not had this offer before.' To his mind it was a,very tempting offer—-so much so !that he felt inclined to say that the Councils should accept it. As there would be only £44 more to.pay per annum* than they were now paying to the; Department, he thought it : would be wise of the Council to accept the offer. Prom the community point of view and from the health and business points of view, the sejt'vice would easily be worth £44 a year to the borough; The Council was under no obligation to the traffic inspector to qualify as a health inspector. They liked to see men trying to improve their prospects in life by going in for examinations, but, they had to realise that the service of a Health Department officer would be of much more value to them as a community than the service of an inspector who was not being trained np in health matters for some considerable limp. He was sorry that the Council did not feel that they could arrive at a decision at this meeting. Personally ■he felt that the proposal was worthy of every consideration, and was one that should not be lightly turned down. Cr. Falloon: There seems to be no doubt that councillors, would like to see a health officer stationed at Levin, even at an extra cost of £3O or £4O; but how would you go before the County Council if they are not going to get any better service while they may be asked to pay a bigger contribution? His Worship: If you become a County Councillor, you will be able to battle for this. Cr. Roe said that the Borough Council were placed in a very awkward position. They would have been in a better position if Dr. Shaw had explained more, on his visit, to the Council. They had now appointed a borough inspector., He (Cr. Roe) quite appreciated what Mr Gardner had said. Np doubt the appointment of an inspector here would be a good thing for the district, but,they had to get the consent of the other local, bodies, and it was a matter of time before they could give a reply to the Department. Two health inspectors were operating in the district—oqe from Wellington to Otaki, and the other from. Palmerston for the northern and central portions. The Mayor stated that the condition to which the Council had objected was that of approaching the other local bodies. Dr. Shaw had stated that the inspector would act in regard to building, plumbing and drainage, but had not stated what the extra Cost to the Council would be. The Town Clerk: He said he would approach the other local bodies. In answer to a question by Cr. Hutchings, Mr Gardner stated that the other local’authorities would have to pay on the same basis as the Levin borough—lOd per head; but it had to be taken into consideration that this was a very much more important local authority than Shannon. “I don’t want vou to come to any hasty decision, ’ ’ he added. “If you consider that it will b'e better to think it over, by all means do so.’’ BOROUGH INSPECTOR WELL OCCUPIED. Cr. Mortensen said he felt that an injustice had been done to Dr. Shaw, who had not had all the.information at his command., and who .would, have given it if he could. Mr Gardner had more information. It took time to get authority through a Government department. The Council had been in honour to proceed with the appointment of their general inspector. They had called for applications and had had to act. Ho could not sec what ..that had to do with the matter now before them, as the general inspector was needed for a number of duties. The health in'■pector from Palmerston was carrying on, and the Council’s inspector probably had enough to do. Withnegard to the" cost to- the borough of the Department’s proposal—£lo2—he would point out that if the borough inspector should qualify as a health inspector his salaiy would bo raised .by. £25, so there was a difference of £77. They could appoint, at £2,75, a man with the qualifications of a health officer. They had appointed an inspector without thesse qualifications at £250. If the Council thought that the Department’s proposition was worth the money, there was not]iing in the w;ay of their joining in the scheme. Or. Parker: There is not £77 difference;” £44 of the salary of the present inspector comes from the building inspector; whose duty would be included with this office proposed to-night. If our cost is not to exceed by move than a few pounds the amount stated by Mr - Gardner, wo ought tp favourably ('onsider the offer from tne Department That would .allow. Mr Gardner to go to the other local authorities with.that knowledge, at any rate. I don’t know that we can make any representation more definite than that —that we fairly consider the departmental offer, at a cost not exceeding that stated. I am prepared to move that. ‘ Mr Gardner stated that this was as far as he expected any Council to go at present. • . . ■ ■ The Mayor suggested allowing the matter to stand over till next meeting. PRINCIPLE AFFIRMED. Cr. Parker moved and Of. Bishop seconded — That the Council very favourably consider the offer made by Mr Gardner on-behalf of .the Health-Depart-ment, at a stated cost not exceeding £lO3 or thereabouts. Cr. Bishop stated, in reply to a question, that the borough was at piesent paying £SB for the health inspector’s services. He wont on to eay that it was a great pity that the Council had not had this information before appointing the borough,inspector. lie see-, ended the motion on the grounds that the Council would probably find Ways

and means of accepting the offer madeby the Department, which would be a very good thing for the district To have a resident health officer at Devin would add to the status of the town,, and would be economically sound as. well. 1 NOT A MATTER FOR THIS YEAR. Cr. Kcedwell: In the event of,' this recommendation being ..accepted by the Council, would it take effect in this, financial year, or could it be deferred: till the coming financial year?., It,would fit in better with our finances. ; The Mayor: I would have liked to=> move that we favourably, consider., this and that the matter be held over till the end of the financial .year. If wo take £4O from the present inspector topay for a new man, it means that ,wo have to find another £4o,' and wherov are wo going to find that? Our finance® are cut pretty short this year. > L feel that it will be. pretty .awkward- at. present to find this extra money. The motion was carried without dissent, and the Major thanked Mr Gaid—her for having attended the meeting and so fully explained the positionin responding, Mr Gardner thanked the Council for the very favourable hearing accorded him and for tho resolution. This, he said, opened up. the ground a little, and he could say to-* the other local bodies that there were possibilities of the scheme'. . being; being brought in.