TOWNSHIP SANITATION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 108, 19 November 1908, Page 2

TOWNSHIP SANITATION.

With the rapid inrcease in population in the various King Country centres, the residents of our townships are faced with the responsibility of adopting proper measures for safe-guarding the health of the various communities. Such a responsibility is not to be considered lightly, nor to be thrust aside until there is sufficient time to devote to a comprehensive scheme. Already in the chief centres there is quite suffif cient population to make it imperative that at least the more closely built localities should be provided with some system of drainage. There is a tendency in all young and rising towns to create what may be termed "slum areag." In this term may be included places whoße area it too small to allow of the disposal of the ordinary waste matters without causing a 'nuisance. Where drainage facilities are not provided, it is highly dangerous, and especially so round residential premises, to concentrate waste waters within a small area. Such diseases as enterics, typhoid and Dyphteria, are bred from this source, and it therefore is the duty of anyone erecting new premises to see that a sufficient amount of ground is provided for that purpose. Outside of the danger that exists at present, is the expense of removing and altering such condition in the future. In the absence of proper building by-laws, our townships, like other thriving places, are apt to sacrifice health to present gain. This is perhaps not to be wondered at, seeing that in the absence of direct local controlling bodies the townships fo the King Country are to a great degree left to their own resources in the matter. The Waitomo County Council has appointed an officer of the Health Department as Inspector in the interests of health, nnd will doubtless support that officer in his efforts. However, it behoves all who have the welfare of the district at heart to consider sympathetically and intelligently, the position with regard to the public health, and by conforming to reasonable common sense conditions in building, to render possible the adoption of a comprehensive scheme at the minnimum cost when such a step is upon. Moreover, it s to be hoped such decision will not be long delayed.