“CLEAN UP THE TOWN.”

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 145999, 4 December 1917, Page 4

“CLEAN UP THE TOWN.”

INSPECTOR’S REPORT.

Mr. R. Day, inspector, reported to the council on Monday as follows; Referring to the scheme for- a cleanup week brought forward by you on several occasions and to the trial authorised in Molesworth Street on Friday last, I have to report;—The proposal was keenly supported by the residents with. Uie result that -seven loads of stuit was removed. It must bo remembered that at every house-'there is more or less lumber, in cupboards or in washhouses or strewn about the grass or under the house, especially where tenants in years past have had no means of disposing of their rubbish. The class of rubbish referred to cannot he called a nuisance in the accepted term, hut at the same time it is better away. It could not bo taken in the ordinary dustcart, and in most cases is not enough to warrant the expense of having an express. It is therefore left for the next tenant, or thrown into the nearest gull; or vacant section. Clean-up week does a way with all this. The proposal for this work is as follows ;—Every kind of refuse is thrown into heaps on the side of the road by the householder on a given morning and promptly removed as soon after 8 o’clock as possible. The expresses available fix the size of the areas. The town could be divided into working blocks, except Devon Street from I’.O. to Cover Street, which should he done after 5 at night. The six blocks arc; First day. Devon Street from end to end; second day, all between Devon Street and the sea and Currie Street and the Henui River; third day, all between Devon Street West and the sea; fourth day, Courtenay Street to racecourse, cast of Liardet Street; fifth day, Poxvderham Street to Wallace Place west of Dawsou Street; sixth day, Liardot Street to Dawson Street, park to sea. There are instances where the wives of soldiers on duty or aged widows are unable to got their rubbish out. also a number of vacant sections owned by absentee owners. This rould bo dealt with by hoys, as I shall endeavour to show. Other than the actual removal of stuff there is a lot of preparatory work to do. The scheme must bo talked about, enthusiasm must bo scoured and this requires careful work. The schoolmasters are always ready to holo, and if the scheme is talked of at school and, each day’s block explained to the children then good work will be done- lam assured of the enthusiastic support of the Boy Scouts. Each house should bo circularised two or three days prior to the date fixed for removal. This work could he done by boys or girls. Exactly when and how depends upon the number of boys available. A clean-up gang of boys should be arranged and advertised to meet at a certain corner each day. The block could be taken in a face, and all necessary sttllf got out for widows, etc., between 4 and 7 each day, the boys, of course, working under my supervision. If wo had a nand-cart and a placard and each hoy wearing a badge and meeting at a previously advertised place, that in itself would create enthusiasm. The cost of badges, placards, ginger beer, etc., might well bo paid for by donations from townspeople, especially landlords who, in the past, to my knowledge have been compelled to foot the hill for work which 1 now propose to do. Taking Molesworth Street as an example, the cost for one and two areas of the borough will bo: Printing, advertising, etc., £5; say 100 loads at ss, £3o—total, £35. The estimate is purely a guess, but there can be no doubt of the advantage of the scheme from a sanitary and educational point of view.

The town clerk submitted the following memo;—ln addition to tho areas mentioned by the inspector I think that tho maTn street of each of the principal suburban areas in tho borough should bo included and residents in the side streets notified that rubbish placed by them in such main streets before a certain hour on the day appointed will be removed. Tho area Devon Street west to the Belt Hoad and Belt Road from Devon Street ta the sea should also bo included. I think tho estimate given by tho inspector is too low. If the quantity removed from Molesworth Street is a fair criterion I imagine tho cost would not be less than £7O or £BO. If, however, tho inspector can got tho work done for £35 so much the bettor, bur 1 do not think it safe to rely upon getting it done at tho lower sum.