The Daily News. MONDAY, APRIL 9, 1900. SANITATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 81, 9 April 1900, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, APRIL 9, 1900. SANITATION.

The outcome of modern science as applied to locomotion has been of enormous benefit in bringing all quarters of the globe into closer and more immediate contact. As a consequence, the highways of the oceans are now traversed day by day with an everincreasing flotilla of passenger and trading vessels, which pride themselves on quick passages and punctuality. | Perhaps in no part of the world has the effect of this been felt in late years more than in Australasia. While this [is a great advantage it also has its j drawbacks. The outbreak of a virulent pestilence in any part of the world is now easily and rapidly transmitted to distant lands, unless the strictest precautions are adopted to prevent its advent. History repeats itself in matters sanitary, as well as in matters political. The bubonic plague has created a scare which has alarmed our authorities as well as our citizens. The latter mostly require but little to alarm them when it is a case of infectious or contagious epidemic, no matter how far off, but the Government and municipal functionaries are not easily awakened in sufficient time to take effective preventive action. In the usual way there is much official talking and telegraphing, some show made by issuing printed directions, but no directly live action, such as the appointment of qualified persons to be on the alert at points of danger, armed with authority to act promptly and effectively both as to preventive and remedial measures. The Government authorities, we learn from a telegram just to hand, have at length issued " suggestions and directions" as to public health which we assume will be transmitted to each township in the colony. The stereotyped recommendations are incorporated for inspection and disinfection, etc.; also that particular attention should be given to localities that have been visited by typhoid. With all this we are bound to agree, especially with the necessity of keeping a sharp look-out on typhoid, for curiously enough the plague has, by reason of its novelty as well as its virulence, quite overshadowed the ever-present but familiar typhoid which every year claims its quota of victims. Even if the plague is kept out of the colony, as it is devoutly hoped it may be, the general scavenging and cleansing required in some part or another of every town, and in many household premises, may be attended to with great benefit to the inhabitants. Will, however, any action be taken beyond the perfunctory visit of some official whose knowledge of the laws of sanitation is nil, and who, while meaning well, but too often ignores the real for the imaginery source of danger? If the present opportunflfy is to be taken advantage of in the direction, not only of instituting a proper system of inspection by duly qualified officials, but of compelling the prompt removal of all rubbish and filth, as well as seeing to the purity of water and cleanliness of all streets and noxious business premises, permanent benetifc will ensue. Past experience has proved that after a comes nonchajanee, and we are not too sanguine that matters in this respect will be altered, unless stringent and permanent measures are adopted and their exe-; cution insisted on by a responsible and efficient officer. Often towns are reported as clean when there are back' yards reeking with decayed rubbish and I li th which practically cries out for removal. Any town that has a good water supply can, by the use of 1 yili'.-mts, lie demised thoroughly ill all (i.H'ts ivlici 1 such drastic treatment is ueriled. It is to lie hoped that good m;iy . oiiiu our, of the evil, and come to ■fctay.