PICTON.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 268, 13 November 1909, Page 5

PICTON.

[fbom our Cokbkbpondent J

Friday

At the final meeting of the Celebrations Committee last night a d&ficiency o,f £4 13s in ■ connection, with ;i th£ ■ Jiibilee ball was authorised to be ■paid. After considerable .discussion, it was decided, ■on the motion of Mr B, C. Perano, that the remaining funds in-hand be equally, divided between the Picton Band and the Literary Institute. A hearty vote of thanKs was /accorded Mr MeCormiok for _the capable manner he had as chairman conducted the'meetings of the committee. The Mayor, thanked all those who had assisted to> make Picton's celebrations the marked success that they proved to be. A vote of thanks to the ladies concluded the business of the meeting. ■ , It will be remembered that some few months ago the Gorer^raent retrenched the district health' officers, •and decided that the Department of Public Health at Wellington should carry otit those duties previously performed by .the, local.men. In addition to this the position of Port Health Officer has been allowed to lapse, and we have now a condition of affairs which is a serious menace to the health not qnly.'of-Pjicton, but of the whole cff Marlboro ugh. Three cases j have occurred during the past few days, and serve to illustrate the 'methodsLTof the Public Health Depa,rtmerit. The steamer ■ Brisbanej ■ fpam Sydney on Monday; afcd! there ; being no Port Health' Officer, she came Jaldngside the wharf without, being '^cleared"—and this, ; bje it noted^ j from an infected port. Again, a case '■; of scarlet fever occurred here last : Saturday, and yet the bmlding was j not dis infected for five days. Yet two other cases ;were reported from . Havelock, one of diphtheria and the other of typhoid fever, and in these cases, although reported, no aotkm was taken. ;,Th«case3 of infectious diseases, that J. have,.mentioned hoih oconrrea on'premises from which part , of the food supply of the tcwn coaiefe.

It should bo here mentioned that on offWr of tli« Health Department is 6i»pcotovi to supervise tLte whole of tfc» Wellington province, Mftrlborougn, Nelson and part of Westland,. and. no* matter how efficient that officer n»y be, it is impossible for him to superJ vise so large a district, aa in tlie.casoof infection, etc., delays aiR dangerions to public health. A telegram of ' protest has been forwarded to Mr j John Duncan, M.P., by the Mayor of i Picton.

The ocean liner Kia Ora arrived in port this morning to load a cargo of wool for London.