The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1909. WATER AND SANITATION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 120, 19 May 1909, Page 4

The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1909. WATER AND SANITATION.

We referred recently to ■"the opinion so largely held in Blenheim that a comprehensive scheme of witer supply and drainage would immensely benefit the Borough. : Undoubtedly this opinion is growing, and that, too, notwithstanding the fact that no official information .as to its cost is available to the public. The last Council even declined to sanction a

proposal to obtain -.this ..information, so that all; icalculatipns. are merely imaginary ones'. l£ has been said that it wouldrcpst £5(3,000, but so far 'as we can ascertain, there is no authority for ; tlx6se figures. How can there be 'wli'eii no levels have been taken, or any data prepared from which an estimate may be arrived at? But taking the assumption that the scheme would cost £50,000, we have already shown that, if there were no revenue whatever from the' works—a most unlikely contingency— it would require a rate of 3^d in the pound upon the unimproved value ot Borough property to meet the annual interest charge of £2500. It may be that a suitable plan could be devised .at much less cost than £50,000, if so the rate would be less in proportion. But until the approximate cost is known, these calculations are only useful by way of illustrating the posii tion. There are, of course, still v.t be found- opponents of stich a progressive measure, even though opinion ;s steadily growing in its favour. There I always will be- a certain number ot I individuals who . attempt, with a metaphorical pitchfork, to stop the progress of a stream. These people cry out against any proposition that they fear will touch their pockets, even though ii> may benefit the community, and incidentally themselves. Consequently, though the cost is not known, they at once declare that it would constitute too heavy a_ burden upon the people, a consideration that is harped upon in several different keys in the hope that the appeal to the breeches pocket will be all powerful in-arousing'opposition to the project. The facts that a large revenue may reasonably be anticipated from the. sale of water other than that required for domestic purposes; that the present clumsy, ineffective, offensive and costly system of "individual sanitation" would be done away witl\; that the expense of providing separate artesian supplies for every residency would be saved; that houses would escape destruction-that now have to burn for want of water —all these and many other considerations in favour of such a scheme are calmly ignored by ;6bjectors. They are important factors in the consideration of the question, it is true, .but it is essential,that they, should be ignored by those who, under orders from- a large taxpayer, have to bolster up' a bad, cause irrespective of the public interests; for if these elements were given their proper place in the scheme of things, as they undoubtedly should be, much of the objection would be- found; to be untenable. But the chief reason why -xtrater supply and drainage are needed for Blenheim is that these things are essential to the health/ of the people." Th 6 necessity of saving the lives of they residents is one that cannot be measured by' mere3 considerations of pounds, shillings and pence. In Gisborne recently the ratepayers decided, on the'score of expense, not to provide a'proper sanitary system, but to allow which is prevalent there, to have undisturbed sway, an.d we now hear \of a probability of the Board ,of Health stepping in, arid compelling proper provision in the interests of human life, even though it may;cost something to do it. Fortunately, Blenheim enjoys an apparent immunity from this scourge, and is consequently disposed to be lulled into a 'sense of false security. But all th&,'f conditions are present for an outb^e'ak of some preventable disease,sandpit* is riptewbrthy that the-cases of ,;diphtheria which occurred last' year were directly due: to bad drainages The proper time _to make efficient provision for resisting an enemy is during a period of peace, and while we are enjoying immunity from any serious outbreak of some dirt-engendered disease it behoves us td provide : the necessary precautions against such a visitation. At. present we a?e: merely inviting the enemy, and by our methods ensuring him an';' easy victory when once; he comes, dS: -pome he assuredly .will sooner or laier. And when he claims his victims4famo.ngst them probably by way-of retributive justice N being some ofi'the- opponents of sanitation— it; may be too late in. their case to begin, to clamour, for his exclusion. •The best way: is to keep-him out, even though', it may, cost a little to do ,s6. It is. better for the community to spend money vto, preserve the4iyes of its ratepayers than to evade that expenditure, while grim death claims his premature victims.