H.—3l.

Northcote. Northcote, the latest suburban borough, has introduced a water-supply from Lake Takapuna. Ellerslie. Ellerslie during the year has become a town district. Excellent by-laws have been submitted to our Department and adopted. As this area is outside the city and suburban drainage scheme, an engineer is at present reporting on a separate drainage system, which may entail works for biological treatment. Eden Terrace. Eden Terrace has shown marked progress during the year, more especially with regard to the enforcement of the regular removal of refuse and the betterment of the nightsoil service. Arch Hill. The local Road Board is to be congratulated on this district maintaining its comparative freedom from infectious disease, only one case of enteric and one of scarlet fever having been notified. Mount Albert, Avondale, and Point Chevalier. These districts all suffer from lack of regular inspection and sanitary supervision. A combination of local authorities in apportioning the payment of the salary of a sanitary inspector would be to the mutual advantage of such districts. Tamaki West. The increase of population at St. Hellier's, especially during the summer months, has drawn attention from time to time to the need for better sanitation in this district. As the interests of St. Hellier s are quite separate from those of the country district, in order to get a regular water-supply and satisfactory local drainage it will probably be necessary for the residents to constitute a separate town district. Dargaville, Warkworth, Franklin, and Huntly. Changes in local administration in the Auckland Health District have taken place at Dargaville, which has been constituted a borough, whilst Warkworth, Frankton, and Huntly have become town There has been considerable improvement at'Dargaville, where Inspector Grieve, of our Department, is subsidised as local Inspector, and pays monthly visits. At Warkworth I have strongly advised the Town Board to go in for a water-supply. Frankton has adopted a sanitary service, and is formulating by-laws. At present an endeavour is being made to remove the piggeries and slaughterhouse from the town area. So far the local Town Board at Huntly has not shown much anxiety to overcome the disabilities under which this mining centre lies from a sanitary point of view. Special reports have been made pointing out the need for the framing of by-laws, the introduction of a sanitary service, and generally more attention being given to prevent overcrowding. Whangarei. The rapid extension of this town during the past few years has aggravated the unsatisfactory condition of affairs arising from the absence of any system of drainage. The recent construction of a large boardinghouse in the mam street which is absolutely devoid of any means of getting rid of waste waters other than their discharge into the street-channel has convinced even the most unprogressive ratepayers of the necessity of incurring the expense of a drainage scheme. After much discussion, in which our Department took part, the scheme drawn up by Mr. H. Metcalfe, M.1.C.E., was adopted by the Council, approved by the Hon. the Minister, and application for a special loan for drainage-works sanctioned by the Government. _ _ The old custom of allowing horses to be stabled in the rear of stores has given rise to a condition of affairs which will necessitate the strict enforcement of by-laws to prevent a nuisance. The duties of a local Inspector for the borough Tare carried out by Inspector Wmstanley of our Department, in accordance with section 94, " Public Health Act, 1908." Tauranga. Four special visits have been made to Tauranga during the year, the first three connected with the discussion as to the payment of the costs incurred by the erection of a temporary infectious-diseases hospital during the typhoid epidemic early in 1908. _ Assisted by Inspectors Bennett and Franklin, a house-to-house inspection was made of the more closely settled part of the borough, as a result of which many improvements were made. After meeting the Borough Council, a public meeting was called, an address given on sanitation, and a vote carried for the introduction of a water-supply. A poll which was subsequently taken carried a scheme to cost £14,000 by a majority of three to one. Opotiki. A general visit of inspection was made to this town in the course of the year. A sanitary service with sealed pans is carried out in a satisfactory manner. The local Council seems fully to recognise its responsibilities with regard to sanitation. A water-supply will have to be considered for the town in the immediate future.

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