THE BOROUGH SANITATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2458, 24 March 1909, Page 3

THE BOROUGH SANITATION.

HOUSE-TO-HOUSE INSPECTION. DISCUSSIONMN THE BOROUGH COUNCIL. Messrs. Schauer and Munro, inspectors under the Public Health Department, attended the meeting of the Borough Council last evening to report upon the sanitary condition of the town. • ; Chief Inspector Schauer said that about 170 houses had been inspected in blocks 1 to 10, and they found the condition of the houses up to the usual condition in country towns. The chief defect was worm-eaten timber in _ the houses. The Waikanae drain was in a very insanitary condition, and should bo covered in. He thought the- press had been responsible for a general cleaning-up of backyards, and he had found the people very willing to carry out any suggestions. He found a stable in the centre of the town without drainage, and had threatened the proprietor with proceedings unless olrainage was put in. He thought the inspection of the, borough would take a fortnight to complete-. Or. Darton thought that a special meeting of.the Council should be held to obtain suggestions from the inspectors before they left Gisborne-.

In reply to Cr. Pettie, Mr. Schauer said he did not desire to recommend any immediate action, but thought drainage was badly needed, and any measures taken except drainage could •only be of a temporary nature. Mr. Munro said he had inspected many of the houses in Haiti, and had found some of the backyards in an undesirable condition. One vacant block near the creek had been made a duinping ground for rubbish. He had insisted that rubbish bins should be in each yard, and had found no opposition to his suggestions. The chief cause of complaint was the night service, but he could not say he found Kaiti extraordinarily flirty. • •_ , - ; ‘

THE PROGRESSIVE. LEAGUE’S RESOLUTIONS. A copy of the resolutions passed' by the Progressive League at their last meeting, and already published, was received. / •>. Cr. Sheridan said the suggestions wore an insult to. the Council. Half-a-dozen. men banded together for political purposes! What right have they to tell us what toYlo when we have have had the advice of Dr. Mason? Cr. Pettie said he was always willing to have advice from any ratepayer, but as far as he could see the Council had not forgotten its duty. Cr. Mann: If the had come before. Dr. Mason’s visit there might be something in them. We have had the advice of Dr. Mason. I move the letter be received.

The Mayor said .he was surprised to hear Cr. Sheridan speak in such a way. Cr. Mann: Are you seconding my motion. Your Worship? The Mayor: Yes: if we send an acknowledgement of thanks. The Council -hould thank any ratepayer for'-infor-mation. ■ . . Cr. Mann: Where is tne information?

Cr. Darton: The resolutions have not been read. We don’t know what they sn’O. ■ The Mayor: I thought you were intelligent men watching what was going through the press. Tiie Clerk then read the resolutions.

The Mayor:.. I don’t think the recommendations should be treated with any discourtesy. Cr. Sheridan: When we receive suggestions we sholuld know who they come from. The Progressive League is .a body of men got together palpably for nolitical purposes, and as for their views I don’t care' a snap of my fingers for them. ( The Mayor thgn put Cr. Mann’s motion, which was carried, and the matter dropped.

PROPOSAL FROM MR, MARCHANT. The following letter was received from Mr. Marchant/'the engineer who reported on the outer harbor for Gisborne : —• “Seeing that your Council- has m contemplation the installation of sewerage works in the borough, I should be glad at any time to advise you in connection with same. .Knowing Gisborne intimately -well, I think I could offer a most satisfactory and economical'scheme. I - am now carrying out a £50,000 sewerage scheme for Timaru, using septic tanks. I designed the Lower Hutt i sewerage works, using two septic tanks and automatic pumping plant for raising the sewage. G'sborne is in much the same case as the Lower Hutt, in fact, the locations are almost identical —flat ground, with little fall, and discharge into the river of the septic tank effluent,- The Shone system of raising sewage, while very effective, -is quite prohibitive in cash for small towns. The system I employ is just as effective, and costs onlv a fraction of the Shone system. I designed the sewerage systems cf- Paluatua, Carterton, and Temuka, and the Borough of Oamarn engaged me to design -a system for that town. So far only a. small- portion- of it has been done." I give. these examples to show the large experience I have had in this particular class of work.” , Or. Barton said Mr. Marchant was an engineer of repute, and as the Conncil~had- only two reports it would he wioo to ask Mr. Marchant to report. He moved that Mr. Marchant be asked what would be his fee to furnish a report, , . Or. Sheridan said a report from such r,n eminent authority was, well worth having, and bo .was' anxious.,to have ail the information possible. v . Cr. Somervell seconded the motion. Cr.-Mann said he would support the motion. Mr. Merchant was a man of standing, and knew something about the Borough of Gisborne. The- offer was too alluring to miss. \ Cr. Pettie also agreed with the motion. ;Cr. Williams said he was. in sympathy with the idea or obtaining bosh information, but ho "would pioipi that Dr. Mason’s advice to refer the two ■ schemes to experts be carried, out as soon as possible, so that eome-tlong definite could be put before the r ate pay.ers at an early date. . ■ Cm. Sheridan: Would it mot he better to have three, or even four, schemes than only two to put boforo tlio ratepavers P - ' .. ' , • Cr. Pettie':* Dr. Mason advised us to o-et as many reports as possible. The Mayor said lie had understood Dr. Mason to say. that there would be no finality of reports by- experts. However, be would support- the inquiry as to Mr. Marcliant-a'fee. To handle the question as. liad been done in the past would be a mistake, but the informatjon might' be got and - handed oyei to the- incoming.'Conned. . ' Cr.' Sheridan, interpectecl. The Mavor: You have had two says. :T; A/ Dr. Mason has pronw jj| .'*■ . ' ' ; , - ... < ~ - I

ised/to try and/get -the.-,services of a; Government engineer to consider the question of drainage. The Mayor :!What I wanted to do was to get advice.

Cr. Sheridan: From one man. The Mayor : From anyone. However, that is ancient history. We will not discuss that- to-night. Civ Darton: The Government will never allow a Government engineer to report ,and criticise schemes prepared by private engineers. The idea is absurd: Mr. Merchant knows Gisborne,‘ and what lio is talking about. There is no harm in asking his fee.. (To the Mayor):You have always said you were in favor of getting the fullest information. • The. Mayor : So I am.Cr." Darton :Yet you wanted to shelve the letter. I - -- The motion was agreed to. DR. MASON’S REPORT. Dr. Mason’s report, as already published, was then read. The Mayor thought the repo.rt should bo adopted, with the exception of inaugurating the sealed pan system and the cementing of the Waikanae drain immediately. Those portions might be left over for future consideration. Cr. Williams said the report was the " most urgent business the Council could deal with. The Council could come to some conclusion as to what was needed. Dr. Mason said it, would be many years before the night service could he abandoned altogether. The Mayor rose to a point Oi order, and Cr. Williams sat down. .. Cr. Sheridan seconded the motion, provided the more serious portions of the report were dealt with at a future date. . , ... The motion on being put was carried. Cr. Sheridan then said that Dr. Mason had recommended that the sealed pan system, be adopted. He understood the Borough Inspector had -a report to submit on the question. The Borough Inspector reported that at present there were about 1 (00 prii ies in the borough, the larger number being emptied once a week. The work required three men and four horses, and with a sealed pan system it would require four, men and four horses, ine first pans should be purchased from the Council at a cost of about 7s 6d, the pans to be replaced by the Council when worn out. He recommended that the sealed pan system be adopted, and estimated the cost as follows: 000 duplicate pans £lB9, 000 hds £162 10s, two spring waggons £l6O, shed foi washing out pans £IOO, incidental expenses £2j ; total, £635. < Cr. Sheridan said the time had arrived when the sealed pan system should be introduced. The cost was only £b3o. The Mayor said there was a margin ot £IOOO on the borough finances, -and tins was the very best use for the money. He could not see how Councillors could not support the sealed pail system and he had much pleasure in moving that it he adopted. .' , /' Cr. Williams said Dr Mason had advocated the system, and he would second the motion. v f Cr. Somervell said the installation ol the svstem was a step in the right direction, -and he would support the resoliition.

Cr. Pettie said there was never a motion before the Council that he felt so much pleasure in supporting. The cost was so small and the benefits were so great. . The present system was filthy, and the sooner it was done away with the better. The money could not be better spent. If nothing else could be placed to the credit of thp present Council than the installation of the system then the Councillors could say they had done good work. Ci-, Darton said the Council had been instructed by Dr. Mason to install the pan system. It would be two years before drainage could be undertaken, and even if the sealed pan system only saved one life it was worth the money. Ihe system was most essential. The Mayor said he was pleased to hear all that had been said by Councillors. Various reports on the matter had been before the Council. The present service -cost about £I2OO a year, and the sealed pan system would only cost about £4OO -a year more. He hoped the motion would he carried, tor the Council had the -money to pay for all that was -required. Cr. Sheridan said he was pleased to hear what the Mayor liad said, because the statement hardly agreed with what he had said a few moments ago. the Mayor told us quite clearly that there would not be time to deal with the matter to-night, and I am glad he has been converted. The motion was then.put and earned. Ci-. Williams then asked the Overseer to report upon the cost of cementing the Waikanae drain. This was agreed to. Ci*. Darton moved that Dr. Mason bp thanked for his kindness and care m preparing the report. - Cr. Williams and Sheridan supported the motion, which was carried unanimously. ■