NUISANCE CREATED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25444, 27 January 1944, Page 6

NUISANCE CREATED

FISHMONGER’S OFFENCE DANGER OF FLY MENACE Efforts were being made to eradicate thefly menace in Dunedin, and the defendant’s action in falling to remove a nuisance must be considered a serious offence, said Mr- G. E. Stokes, chief sanitary inspector for the Dunedin City Corporation, when proceeding against a fishmonger in the City Police Court yesterday. • The defendant, William Cecil Currie, pleaded guilty to a charge brought under section 26 of the Health Act, 1920, to the effect that he had allowed an accumulation of fish offal to cause a nuisance.

Mr Stokes stated that a case of fish offal had been left in the defendant’s shop in King Edward street, South Dunedin, during a recent week-end. Not only had tram passengers and passers-by complained of the smell, but the shop was filled with blowflies. In the absence of the owner, who had been informed by the police of the complaints, It had been necessary to disinfect the shop, ,and deodorise and remove the offensive case.

" We are endeavouring to eradicate the fly pest," Mr Stokes continued. "An offence such as this is regarded as a serious one. A vile smell could be detected. 100 yards from the shop, and, In view of the fact that the police had been in touch with Currie about the matter, it would seem that the defendant should have taken some action to remove the offal.”

Mr C. H. S. Stevens, who appeared for Currie, said that the trouble appeared to have arisen owing to the non-appearance of a cartage contractor who had undertaken to remove offal from the shop. After being informed of the complaints, Currie had unsuccessfully tried to secure the services of another Carrier.

> Remarking that the offence was a serious one, for vjhich there should be a heavy penalty, the magistrate, Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.-, imposed a line of £2 with costs.