THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE AND Tourists' Journal. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 1896.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 185, 17 June 1896, Page 2

THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE AND Tourists' Journal. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 1896.

The Town Board meet to-morrow, and it is to bo hoped that no further delay m >y take place in doing some practicalwork towards the improvement of the saniiairy conditiousof the town. So far it liaa been all cry and little wool, Cartainly, considerable energy was displayed over the compilation of a sot of by-laws which, however, proved abortive, but the course of the Board now appears to-be clear before it. The Health Act and its amendments form tho regulations and the Gazette notice of the appointment of the Local Board constitutes it- authority to act. 'lhe appointment of a sanitary inspector, inspector of nuisances, or whatever the Board may be pleased to dub 1 ho individual who aspires to the oflice, must be the first step, and as much time has been already lost it is to bo hoped that arrangements will be made so that applications may be called for, tlio relative merits considered and the chosen functionary installed in office before the next monthly'meeting. Competent men can bo found in our midst quite equal to tho dutiesrecjuired, and as it will bo to tho interest of every individual member of tho community to see that his neighbour attends to tho cleanliness of his promises the in-

' speetor can. look for plenty of assistance in a rather invidious task. The night-soil depot is now ready and Mr Mueller will probably havo the required information regarding the cost of plant aad so on. When on this subjost it may be mentioned that we have heard with uo little concern that medical men, not only in Auckland' but in other centres of the colony, have for some time past hesitated to recommend the baths <it Rotorua to- their patients. At first, we understand, this arose on account of the great diminution in temperature of tlte Priest's Bath (which the medical profession justly consider is the great therapeutic agent here.) .ifter the 'oath had regained its normal condition reports of the insanitary state of the town gener.llj' were so freely circulated that they hesitated lo subject their patients to the risk of a vi>ii. li: the Board require an incentive to earnest work mis circumstance should afford i'.-

In taking steps for trie cleansing of the new town we would direct the attention of the Board to the many sections—leased and tin leased—remaining; unfenced and covered fri;ii high ti-trec. We need not point out the purposes to which these belts of sci'iib ure devoted, but it is as absolutely necessary that they should be cleared without loss of time as was the removal of tho higlrboarded fence from' Pukeroa. This is a matter which admits of no delay and we look forward to its being done forthwith intiie interests of public'health.

THE DRAINAGE OF ROTORUA. It is satisfactory .to note that the proposed system of dealing with the drainage and sewage of the town is attracting notice outside its limits. Whatever may be t'uc opinions expressed in regard to the expediency, or otherwise, of the scheme which was submitted by Mr Mtteller at the last meeting of the Town Board, discussion in the metropolitan papers cannot inil to draw attention to the necessity which exists of the matter being taken in hand without delay. In the correspondence columns of the Auckland Herald a writer who signs himself "Rotorua" slates that in his opinion the scheme pro-

ne d can hardly be regarded as* " suitailo for an ideal city'of health such as Sir :'eu'ainin Richardson would approve of." l i e wril t continues :—•" As we must all

(io:,ii/e to sec Rotorua made ns> perfect as a sanatorium; as it is possible to make such a place : and as the prosperity of tin; town must rest, on its merits as a groat health-restoring locality, I do not think an out: of date 'nightsoU cart system' should for ;i moment be entertained. As

tieithf;* of the'gent lciuon wlio lm» gone cii-vefiiUy into the whole 'question with the chairman * can liave any experience in such matters, sufficient to erititlb their decision to have any woiglit, I would suggesl that the Government invito competitive designs for the work-. Where- there is water-power,'and a. plentiful supply of water for Hushing purposes and the conveyance of the contents of water-closets and urinals, there should ho no difficulty whatever in arriving at a. suitable scheme of drainage for the town: That scheme should be an object lessor, for all the inland towns'of New Zo.'iiahd, and for such a lesson the idea of cost ought not to regulate the question at all, or at, any rate should be a- subordinate element in the matter. AVe in Auckland during the summer time especially, know whet a nightsoil cart is, and I for one would consider it a disgrace to suggest such a scheme for Kotorua."

If thn wrii'< of the foregoing had-read the extended report of the proceedings of the Town Board, when Mr Mueller submitted bb propositi, he would have seen that it wins not as experts in drainage works that Messrs Mltellev and Malfroy had arrived. at the eonelusion- that a system of deep draining was out of the qiiestibn. In his remarks Mr Mueller explained at considerable length the system of deep drainage in vogue at Christchurch and other places and regretted much that for several years to come we could scarcely look forward to the initiation oi s = 'eh a.system.here. Though Xlotorua might in the fulness of time, he'naid, be equally favored i,t was scarcely to be expected (hat a! tlio present stage' such a heavy expendifcfare could be incurred. It will'thus be seen that the" matter of expense alone had forced Mr Mueller and his colleague to the conclusion that a system of deep drainage was out of the question. We have no doubt that both, gentlemen would had vi h satisfaction Ihe suggestion made by " Jiotorua,"' viz., that the Government invite competitive designs for the work. Looked at in the light of being a practical experiment in the best method of dealing with the drainage and sewage of inland towns, similarly situated it would be of national importance and so justify the expenditure' of public money.