LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14648, 6 April 1911, Page 7

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

- ■ ♦ REMUERA ROAD BOARD. Sir,— proposal put forward by the present Road Board to borrow £71,000 is one that calls for the serious consideration of the ratepayers in the district. That the purposes for which the money is to bo devoted are necessary, and perhaps even pressing", may bo admitted. The point I wish to emphasise is the importance of seeing that the personnel of the Board is such as to insniro confidence • among ratepayers , in the business and financial ability of tho Boa»d to manage,its rapidly expanding affairs. The population of Remucra is increasing by leaps and bounds, and is likely, from the large area of land still remaining to he settled, to go on increasing for years to come. This increase necessitates 'in its turn* increased requirements in the # matter jof drainage, water supply, sanitation,' roads, fire-extinguishing appliances, etc. To use the language of trade, the business of the Board is growing at such a rate that it now calls for the most capable: men in the district to conduct it, if it is to be conducted with prudence, wisdom, and efficiency, and in the interests of the greatest good of the greatest number. Can the present members of the Board be truthfully described as fulfilling that qualification? And if they cannot, is it not the duty of the ratepayers to see; that the right men are put in office? An election of two members is impending, and I would suggest that a meeting of ; the ratepayers should be convened by some prominent ratepayer, at. which the whole situation could be discussed, and steps taken to bring out suitable candidates. There is far too iruach cliqueism in connection with these Road Board elections. "Whatever is done should be done openly, in the' face of all men, and every ratepayer in the district should know clearly and fully what is what, and why is why. MoTOT Hobson. __ AUCKLAND SAVINGS BANK. "Sir,—Regarding letter in your issue to-day from " Depositor " in above, I believe num* hers more have been asking themselves the same question. I see another beggar (the 1 Auckland Society of Arts) is now in the ■ field for £2000. If the bank ha* more > money than it knows what to do with, it > might as well be generous "to the depositors who have placed it in that envious position, by giving them increased interest. , A Depositoe since 1665. :> , . April 5. ■:■;'"■, ; ...-;,.;''./ :;;■''■ l '-.*: : , ■''''> ( -- —— 1 ' THE PLAGUE AND THE,. RATS. ' • Sir,— your article of to-day's date, on I "Plague and Rats," you adviiie anyone finding dead rats to ]x>ur kerosene or boiling water over them, put them in ii. box and take them to the Health Office for examination. Ido not know whether you, 1 sir, are responsible for this advice, or the : officers of the Health Department but in any case, I venture to take the greatest . exception to it. In my opinion, anyone i finding a dead rat should disinfect, and then, i without the least delay, cremate it. Can , you imagine anything. more ridiculous or dangerous than a procession of people ' through the streets of Auckland, carrying little boxes, each containing the decaying 1 corpse of a plague-infected rat. I recog- ' nise that it would appear unreasonable to try and fix the blame on you, sir, for tow advice, in view of the obviously insj ned character of the article, and if this is an example of the Health Department s administration it is not of the most reassuring character. I will say no more thani that l am ALABMED. April 4. THE REMOVAL OF RUBBISH. . 1 Sir—l notice in your issue this morning ' that the Mount Eden Borough Council have instructed its sanitary inspector to prepare '•and distribute poison, to destroy rats, also ■ t?> confer with-the' Health Department upon tho""nstter. It seems to me that the Court- , cil wouhL be doing- a good, deal towards i abating tli'iV- nuisance by the introduction of sanitary rui»b>h-carts, a very large por- , tion of the borough being without such service, the residents' ■being required to burn ' or otherwise dispose of their accumulations (usually buried in the btlcjcyards), where the rats come in numbers and "burro* under the surface. I have myself approached the ' Mayor and other councillors on-this matter, and other residents have done "the same, expressing our willingness to pay 'reasonable sum for such service (this over ■&*ss?■* ago), and I understand the Council 'still havo the matter steadily in view. I 6NI- - trust in the interests of the borough that tho Health Department will impress upon the Council tho urgent need for this ■ service in such a large arid rapidly-kicreasr ing district. 0. "WHSEU^. ';■ Faioe-'a Avenue, April 4. i " ''.'■:■■'■ ■..'!<: ~ THE PLAGUE OF MOSQUITOES. Sir,l see in to-day's .edition of your ' paper a statement ''to the effect that rats 1 are>;: the cause -hot. the spread of bubonic ' plague; and a- request that the public would take all means in their power to exterminate > them. While on the '■ ■. subject of the public health would it not bo as well for ..the health authorities to take some. means to suppress tho present plague of momutoes? I think that it is a well-established fact that . mosquitoes are tho source of infection in many diseases. And the fact that no moans aro taken to clear the place of them cannot be. taken as a good» augury for the health of.'the town. Let us remember what hapI pened to Rio do Janeiro, It was known • as about the unhealthiest town in the world, ' until they took means to drain the town, \ and had the ponds of stagnant water (which are the breeding-places of the pest) filled up or covered with oil. Many people sy* that the present plague of mosquitoes^ > tho worst they have ever known, an/" " this not due to the fact, that there is/bsoI lutoly no drainage in the district, w« that • the accumulation of years of drafago is , . encouraging the propagation of tljf">*« 8 ' j , /Remuera, April 4. .... ; ; f Be/"" **0- I