THE DESTRUCTOR.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 896, 3 May 1889, Page 15

THE DESTRUCTOR.

(BY OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.) “ Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,” and the sound of an unmusical bell broke my slumbers at an early hour yesterday morning. I was full drowsy, and could only remember that a bright May morning’s sun was shining into my room. 1 dozed off again and dreamed of a May morning in a London suburb long, long years ago, when the merry sweeps danced a wild fandango in fantastic attire, attracting stray «oins from pedestrians by the sound of the tinkling bell. Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle again went the bell, and I wondered whether I was living in the past or the present, when a sharp reminder that breakfast was ready brought me up standing full wide awake. Then I learned that the tintinnabulum was the outward and visible sign that the perambulating dustman was on his rounds for the first time in the history of ’Wellington under the new Corporation regime of sweetness and light. Later on in the day my constitutional walk brought me within view of Wellington’s Brownesque adornment, the Destructor. Tiukle, tinkle, tinkle went the bells, and from one direction and another I saw approaching the refuse-laden carts carefully covered with canvas to prevent the playful zephyrs making mad havoc with the waifs and strays of our citizens’ dustbins. A thin cloud of smoke of the, colour of a newly started meerschaum, issuing from the tail stack, showed that the Desti-uctor had commenced its .work of mercy in destroying the poison germ beds of this city. As I came nearer the scene a faint suspicious odour of burning damp rag was an indication that cremation was in process. A stiff wind was blowing from the harbour, and sundry signs of the removal of debris came floating along Clyde-quay in the shape of scraps of paper, broken straw, odd feathers, and other minutue of the omnium gatherum of our backyards. I saw the heavily-laden carts mount the winding, wooden platform and dump tlieir unsavoury loads into the top of the furnace, where a couple of men were busy thrusting the debris into the jaws of the fiery furnace. Two of the furnaces were lighted early yesterday morning and the remaining two later on in the day. The combustion in a new furnace is naturally slower than in one more matured, and the full working power of the Destructor will not be seen for a few days yet. But the trial yesterday may be considered fairly successful. There is one drawback, and that is the want of an enclosure round the furnaces. The wind yesterday blew scraps in all directions. The depositing-platform is exposed to the full force of the wind, and unless this is remedied, either by boarding in the platform or providing doors to the enclosure, some discomfort will be felt by the ddbris getting scattered around. The faint smell I detected will in a day or two pass away whori once the furnaces get into proper working order and the fires in the flues are lighted. The Destructor is an insatiable monster, devouring the most miscellaneous collection of odds and ends ever brought together. The secrets of many backyards were exposed in the great heaps of rubbish brought on to the platform yesterday. There were scores of bottles of every size, shape and colour, from the tiny medicinal phial from the sick room to the roystering royal champagne of con-, vivial haunts. Here was the remains of a velvet mantle, and there a relic of what was, once upon a time a dainty ivliite satin slipper that, maybe, had waltzed many miles in our local ballrooms, or had been used to illustrate the old Israelitish custom, “Over Edom will I cast my shoe.” In another heap were the sweepings of a wasteful bachelor’s home — the half consumed tin of American salmon, the hardened crusts of an ancient loaf, and the crackers and cheese of a bygone feast. There was Willie’s top he

had missed, weeks ago, and Sarah’s music book torn and’,stained cheek by jowl with the baby’srattle, and father’swell-seasoned old clay pipe. Here was a curious conbination of wires and tapes that had perhaps adorned a wedding dress, entangled with the remains of the lover’s best belltopper. A carpenter’s wife had thrown out the sweepings of her lord and master’s workroom, with its rusty screws and half bent nails, and a still serviceable pair of pliers. The housemaid s half-worn brush lay in company with a battered pewter pot. Faded bouquets, an antique kitten, and old iron galore all went into the red inferno below". There was some consternation among householders in the suburbs yesterday over the providing of proper receptacles for depositing the rubbish in a suitable manner convenient for the peram Dulating dustman. Conclaves of housewives decided that a medium-sized packing case w r as the correct thing, and straightway there was a sudden demand at the local grocer’s for empty boxes. Report says that several grocers rapidly cleared out stocks, arid there are rumours that prices are hardening. Anyway, the City Council have made a start with what is to be hoped will be a great convenience and a useful sanitary measure for the citizens of Wellington. One word of advice to the authorities : Keep the children away from the platform where the rubbish is' deposited, lest liberated fever germs find a congenial home, and the death rate .of the city is increased.