HEALTH OF THE CITIZENS OF NELSON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXV, Issue 209, 3 September 1891, Page 2

HEALTH OF THE CITIZENS OF NELSON.

To the Editor of the -'Evening Mail.'' Sib,— Your correspondent " Citizen " is but a shallow-minded individual when "he or she " for a moment supposes that my letter of the 25th ulfc., had any anterior or ulterior motive beyond that stated in it, viz., tbe health of the citizens of Nelson— if the former heading "is hardly consistent, " I waß astonished to Bee that Cr Everett oould express himself as he did at the last Oounoil meeting. He said, '* The trees were not olose together. They could do no harm to the two people who lived there. " This Ib a unique way of calculating, 4 « Two people 1" Until reoently two houses were ocoupied eaoh containing six persons, or souls -but _ne paucity of numbers does not justify the aot of a neighbour, muoh more of a public body of men « interfering with the rights o! tho people. " I quota from the Nineteenth Century magazine :— '•Chere is a point at which we are Bare to be stopped if we so invade the co.umn of air above us that owners of properly are wronged by our vaulting ambition. " If only one of the people suffers I consider it to be the duty of the Counoil to see that jußtioe be done to that one person ou pubiio grounds. Within the memory of most of my neighbours, I had some very fine poplars on my ground, quite as ornamental bb the trees iv the Square. They did not intercept the. view ol anyone; yel upon one]

.'.' A. ■-■■■<■ ■»._.■_■■.■>_:■■_■ ..:...*i.. _.. .; .. I^-^ .; ; neighbour, at present a City Councillor* objecting to thes 3 trees because, of their be'gbt, I bad tbem out down as soon as I oould get a man who would undertake to fall them. I. have also had many 'evergreen shrubs ahd trees on my ground, bat from their tendency to blight and tbdr very offensive smell when blighted I hare been reluotantly compelled to root tbem but. I hava also contributed towards the .beautifying ci Viotory Square, and " Citizen " can now judge whether I am opposed to beautifying the oity. » Citizen " saya there are bat two of the residents interested who were living there before the tree planting took place. True—" but two. » Sir, until reoently there were eight persons living in my house. These, wuh the twelve in, the above two houses, make twenty. There are yet another two houses, eaoh inhabited by from four to eight persons, or souls. So that there are five houses under the immediate influenoe of these trees, in eaoh of whioh one or more of its oooupants bave been suffering from continued bad colds, whioh all know lead to every other kind of malady. So far the reoords will show that hithertj we in this neighbourhood have been almost exempt from serious illness and contagious diseases. Once set up the latter iv the valleys, and there is no sayinjg where it may end. The trees complained of overshadow the whole of the street, as well as a considerable way beyond into our grounds in the early morning, and in winter far into the day, thus retrading vegetation. Is not this interfering with our rights as well as with our health 1 Cr Rout knows that a number of building sites were taken upon this blook before the trees had shut out all view, some of whioh have been abandoned. Is this progress 1 Had the Square been drained, and a gravel path put round it, instead of overcrowding it with trees, it would have been moro oouducive to the health and prosperity of the oity. I am, &c„ PaO_»BBTY HOLDEB,