THE DUST NUISANCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 14191, 13 October 1906, Page 13

THE DUST NUISANCE.

TO TUB EDITOR. Sir, —In a recent issue I read with interest your remarks regarding the great duet nuisance prevailing hero in Christchurch. lam only a new resident from the Old Country, and for an important city like Christchurch, I must express my surprise to find so little has been don© by the authorities to remedy this great evil. Indeed, from a sanitary point of view, it is absolutely necessary for something to be done, when we come to consider the great amount of road filth that is deposited on to human food exposed for sale in the many shop windows, carrying with it thousands of microbes, which, doubtless to say, is injurious to health. In my opinion, the City Council is far too niggardly in the employment of labour, Consequently proper attention is nob paid to the scavenging of the roads. - It is a common thing to see as you pass along the streets heaps of dirt lying alongside the gutters for weeks. Again, regulations ought to be made in regard to the disposal of builders’ refuse in the streets, and a step put to such a dust nuisance arising from the present Post Office alterations. It is abominable the way the rubbish is tipped over the gantry on those works to the discomfort of everybody in this busy thoroughfare.

Much however, might be done to minimise the evil eo far ns the reads are concerned if better attention was given to the making-up and topping process. Par too much mud is used in New Zealand in the making of her roads. This ought not to bo used for binding purposes, only after the metal is properly consolidated. Hard ehinglo should be used for binding. Should ft little read mud be used, sweeping it well into the surface, using plenty of water and steam roller would improve it. If this course were adopted, I am sure' the dust nuisance would be greatly reduced. It is patent to anyone examining the roads here to see the folly of using so much mud. I think every assistance and encouragement should bo given to. the City Engineer to remedy this evil a® much as possible, without looking so much at the £s d. Surely the citizens will signify their readiness to support any expenditure' for securing more healthy conditions. I am speaking with ft few years’ experience in this class of work, and I am convinced that better results could be obtained for reducing the volume of dust if more attention were paid to the mode of making up the roads in’the manner I have described. More labour in addition to steam roller would make all the difference in the cost, and the beneficial results would bo appreciated. Eastbourne, England, claims to have solved the dust problem. They say that by tar-painting the roads, disintegration is prevented. Twelve thousand square yards dealt with in this way would cost £IOO. Moreover, in its endeavour to discover a. remedy for the dust nuisance, the Surbiton (Surrey) Urban District Council has experimented very successfully in this way, and so satisfied was the Council with the results derived from the first dressing, that the Highways Committee decided to go to further expense with this method of tarring. There seems very little doubt that tar in some form or other will ultimately provide a solution to the difficulty, which has so long been perturbing county and district councils in England. In the report of the Surrey County Surveyor, ho admits that of all the experiments in duet-laying' carried out by him, the best result® were obtained by tarring the surface of the roads and applying a sprinkling of sand. Other governing bodies also praise this simple and not unduly expensive method. It acorns, however, that the comparatively little dust deposited on the surface. of tar-painted roads, is very readily diffused by the wind or passing vehicles, with the result that constant scavenging .and occasional watering is required. After two or three dressings of tar, the road presents the appearance of an asphalt path, and with proper attention it should cause pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and drivers of horsed vehicles very little discomfort even on a windy day.—l am, etc., A. ROSS.