INSPECTOR OF NUISANCES’ REPORT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 9185, 6 January 1891, Page 4

INSPECTOR OF NUISANCES’ REPORT.

The Inspector of Nuisances (Mr J. Doyle) reported at the meeting of the Public Works Committee last night that he has just com* pleted a house to house inspection throughout the city. With regard to sanitary matters, although he had not found it uecoasary to appear in Comt very often (seven persons having been brought before the Court, and fines amounting to £< 9s fid indicted duriug the last live months) it did not follow that there had been no cause for complaints The main cause of trouble wa» the disposal of night soil. In tho crowded parts of the city the ordinary closet was & great nuisance, and he had noticed that where backyards adjoined closets were often placed within a few yards of each other. He pointed out that people who removed from houses were not at all scrupulous as to the condition in which tho closets were left, and unless be hap* pened to find these closets they might remain possibly for weeks iu such a condition as to endanger tho public health. He had found it necessary to intimate to persona holding agencies for large numbers of houses that it was absolutely necessary that they should do a little inspecting occasionally themselves. This, ho was glad to eay, had had a good effect. He had discovered a number of cesspits, and he had insisted on tho removal of these abominations. He had inspected about 4SOO house drains. About two-thirds of these drains were fitted with what is known as the ** Bell trap, and ho assorted that more than half of those in use were outof repair and ineffective. This meant that there were more than 1000 fume# scattered about the city through which sewer gas and other noxious vapours during the prevalence of high tides, when the ordinary sewer outlets are blocked-—• found their way into tho houses. In addition there were largo numbers of honsea und rained, bo that it was not difficult account for any consequences which might arise from an impure atmosphere. Ho had had more complaints with regard to the poultry nuisance than any other. Among the fowl fanciers he had observed that none cared to have the fowl houses any nearer their own houses than could be helped, and the result was that the nuisance, which was certainly very great, had to be borne exclusively by the neighbours. He euggeated as a remedy that an amendment to the bye-law be passed defining it as an offence “To have a fowlhouse or run within say 10 feet of any adjoining premises or public place,” and if the same by-law could be made to apply to stables, he was certain that a groat boon would be conferred on a largo majority of citizens who kept neither fowls nor horses, Ho wished to draw attention to that part of the public and private vehicle by-law dealing with private carts. There were several firms in the city who would do anything, from moving furniture to carting a load of gravel, and who would ' evade payment of tho license fee on the ground that they were contractor. It seemed to him that all vehicles used for the carriage of passengers or goods should be licensed, with the exception of butchers, bakers, fish hawkers, &0., and bona tide contractors. The carters, express drivers, and cabmen of the city were, with few exceptions, a respectable body of men. The subject of house drainage was of such vital importance to the city that he suggested the only remedy, the enforcement of “ the sanitary by-law,” not necessarily in its entirety, but that, as Inspector, ho might have tho power to compel owners to put in gully-traps where they were necessary to ventilate w.c.’s where they ore inside, and to have all Inlets to drains placed outside.