Auckland’s Health.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue VIII, 23 August 1902, Page 500

Auckland’s Health.

Dr. Makgill, Government Health Officer for Auckland, in his annual report on the Auckland public health district to the chief health officer, says:—

In the city, Mount Eden, Parnell, and Thames county and borough, the number of enteric fever cases is out of

proportion to their population. In the city this is perhaps not so marked, allowance being made for the large area of dense population. The districts where the largest number of

cases arose are perhaps not very well defined, but on the whole the older portions of the city—Hobson-street, Cook-street, Queen-street and Freeman’s Bay—suffered most. In these the drainage connections are old and

faulty. The sewers themselves are probably defective. Towards the lower portion of the city the tide washing up in the sewer causes flooding in the cellars, the traps being forced by the pressure. Further, the houses in these parts in many eases are built on reclaimed land. One of the chief factors, however, is the nonremoval of house refuse, the accumulated filth in the back yards creating a malodorous condition, which has been shown experimentally to predispose to typhoid. Dr. Makgill says it is impossible to report in a hopeful manner of the administration of the public health at the hands of the local authorities. Even the largest of tlhem—the Auckland City Council —appears scarcely to realise that it is responsible for the conditions which affect the lives of the people whom they control, whiles with a few exceptions, the smaller bodies seem totally ignorant of the fact. He says the chief fault lies in the subdivision of the district into numberless small local bodies, in which the spirit of Little Peddlington is the chief feature.

Auckland city, lie considers, would be better in every way were it to include Parnell, Newmarket, Mount Eden, Eden Terrace, Grey Lynn and Arch Hill. ’ The 13 local bodies which represent the remainder of Eden County could well be combined under one county council. Country road boards and town boards are absolutely useless as administrators of public health, and should be merged in the counties of which they form part. The hopelessness of dealing with the 28 little road boards which comprise Manukau County would be avoided were the Counties Act to be enforced over this area. The statistics show that Auckland is behind hand in matters hygienic, and inspection bears out the fact. In every branch of sanitation there is evident room for improvement, from watei’ supply to refuse removal. Fortunately, there is a forward tendency now, thanks to the energy of His Worship the Mayor (Mr Kidd). The movement is slow, and relapses are frequent, but it exists, and only requires careful nursing. That there has been neglect in the past is evident from the large number of ruinous dwellings, hovels which would not be permitted in the East London slums. The older parts of the city have fallen into decay, and a clean sweep should have been made years ago. The drainage in these parts is of that primitive type which has long been abolished in more energetic cities. Even the more modern parts show faults, which indicate lack of system about the inspection — jerry-built houses drain connections which would not stand the slightest test, plumbing work of a date 40 years back, and so forth. “There is,” he says, “the most, astonishing ignorance on the part of the council as to modern sanitary requirements, their idea of sanitary inspection beginning and ending with the removal of rubbish when it has accumulated sufficiently to cause a bad smell.” The appointment of n well-trained sanitary inspector within the last few weeks should, however, result in this error being rectified.