ROYAL COMMISSION

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 77, Issue 6558, 27 August 1948, Page 5

ROYAL COMMISSION

TO INVESTIGATE AUCKLAND’S SEWERAGE PROBLEMS PROPOSED THAT REPORT BE REFERRED TO SMALLER CENTRES At Wednesday evening’s meeting in the Town Hall, Mr D. M. Robinson, president of the Auckland Drainage League, said that after three years’ representation by the League, supported by influential organisations, the Government had promised to set up a Royal Commission to investigate the sewage disposal question on which there had been much controversy in the Auckland district. The findings of this Commission would not be applicable to Auckland alone, stated Mr Robinson, as it has been proposed that when the Commission concludes its sitting its report should be made available to local bodies throughout the Dominion. The Commission’s findings, therefore, were of national importance. However, continued the speaker, there had been opposition from a certain quarter in Auckland to the sitting of a Royal Commission, and it would be of great assistance to those who desired the investigation if local bodies, who would benefit from it, would support them by making representation to the appropriate authorities in Wellington to have the enquiry carried out. A Vital Point

Support for Mr Robinson’s suggestion was voiced by Sir Alexander Young, former Minister of Health, and M.P. for Waikato, who was a member of the audience.

Sir Alexander said that Mr Robinson, in his suggestion had brought up a vital point. It was moved:—“That the Te Awamutu Borough Council heartily approve of the resolution of the Government to set up a Royal Commission to investigate and report on all matters relative to the proposals of the Auckland Metropolitan Drainage Board, and problems incidental thereto, but considers that the subject «is of such wide national and social interest that the Order of Reference should, in its application, be extended to cover fully the sanitary and drainage services of all populous areas, including the smaller boroughs and town districts, with a view to setting up a plan of guidance for such smaller communities to enable them to deal effectively with their problems incidental to the public health of the whole Dominion.” The resolution was carried, and referred to the Town Clerk, Mr H. Millar, for transmission to the Minister concerned.

Sir Alexander later supported Mr Robinson in his address on the use of treated sewage for the maintenance of soil fertility. “Our treatment of the soil should follow as closely as possible nature’s methods,” he said enthusiastically. Sir Alexander referred to the soils of the native bush in which the method of fertilisation was by the natural process of leaf moulds and other decaying vegetable and organic matter, which, after decomposition, formed a clean and healthy soil.