TO CLEAN UP UNTIDY PARTS OF DISTRICT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18887, 11 October 1929, Page 15

TO CLEAN UP UNTIDY PARTS OF DISTRICT.

OUTDOOR CIRCLE IS FORMED IN NORTHWEST CHRISTCHURCH.

Tn the Training College lecture room last evening, on the suggestion of • Dr C. Chilton, it was decided to form the North-west Christchurch Outdoor Circle. Its object is to improve the health and welfare of the north-west part of the city. The area is bounded by Armagh Street on the south, Colombo Street on the east, Boaley Avenue on the north, and the Avon on the west. The subscription will be Is a year. It was decided to ask Dr Chilton and Messrs 11. Holland, M.P., S. M’Murray, R. R. Munro, Tretheway, and J. R. Hayward to be members of the committee. Mr M’Murray was appointed treasurer. Dr Chilton said that since he had lived in that part of the city he saw a number of things he would like to see improved. That part had been greatly neglected. There were unoccupied sections that were very untidy. There were marked contrasts between handsome dwellings and things that should not be allowed. Cranmer Square certainly had been neglected. The new Carlton Bridge was an improvement, but there should be many more improvements. He asked residents to join him in having some places tidied up. The idea of outdoor circles had been taken up in America. Each member should undertake to do his or her best to bring about an improvement. A lecture was given by Dr Chilton on the general health of the community. He said that the low death rate in New Zealand, especially among children, gave hope for the future. It was necessary to make things much better. The Ptiblic Health Department had to deal with many subjects, which had to be paid for by the public. To take one item, public hospitals, the expenditure in 1925-26 was £2,000,000. In 1926-27 it was £2,103,000. Almost £1,000,000 ot that sum was spent in the maintenance of hospitals. Charitable aid claimed about £200,000. The capital expenditure —buildings and other items —was £395,000. If diseases were prevented, the expenditure on hospitals would be decreased. The ages at which people died in New Zealand showed that there had been an improvement in respect tc the average longevity. There was no smallpox in this country. Reports in the newspapers day after day showed that New Zealand had not got rid of

scarlet fever. It still had measles. He looked forward to the time when those and other diseases would be more effectively checked. In regard to tuberculosis, there had been a great improvement in the past fifty years, but there again more could be done. There should be a system of periodical medical examination of every person in the community. It would bring about a very great general improvement, disease would be further checked, and expenditure would be reduced. Dr Chilton’s address was illustrated by slides and interspersed with musical items, songs being given by Miss M. Pollard and Air 11. AY. Findlay, and a violin solo by Air P. M’Lauchlin.