THE PRESENT AND FUTURE HEALTH OF CHRISTCHURCH.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 198, 27 January 1875, Page 4

THE PRESENT AND FUTURE HEALTH OF CHRISTCHURCH.

The following ia the paper read by Councillor Bishop at the meeting of the City Council held yesterday-evening : Mr M. B. Hart made an offer of prizes for Essays on "the best means to improve the sanitary condition of Christchurch." People at a distance will be led to think that the city must be in a fearful state of filth to induce an individual to make such an offer ; but a presumption of that nature is not borne out by facts. The conditions of the Essay have recently been published, but which I suppose that the competition is intended for professional men, who must give the " causes of sickness and practicable remedy," and as I have not the honor to be one of them I decline to enter the list, but there is nothing to hinder me from giving my views of the present and future health of the city. I shall nevertheless be glad to know whether the cause of sickness and practical remedy is to include the cause of diphtheria, which has been prevalent among children ; if so, it will necessitate a confeience of the profession, as I believe their opinions thereon are not mutual. I observe that some health officers in England have bad a problem placed them to solve. Lewes (Sussex) has recently been drained and sewered, the most careful attention having been paid to the ventilation of the sewers, the town moreover furnished with an excellent supply of wholesome water ; yet typhoid fever has broken out there. It is therefore remarked that the outbreak comes opportunely as a caution against hasty conclusions as to the cause of sickness, and that there is still something further to be ascertained as to what really produces this fever. The remarks may also apply to diphtheria, and wo may ask ourselves whether we have not to depend more upon the matters hereinafter referred to, than upon theoretical writings ? With reference to the whole questiou of sanitary laws and mortality, I may here mention that even the vital statistics, as published, do not represent the true health of at>wn. Dr Letheby, at a meeting of the Society of Medical Officers of Health, lately read a paper showing that it was an error to suppose that the rate of mortality given by the Registrar-General is a true indication of the salubrity of a place. The Registrar-General's figures are quite correct as to the number of deaths, but they include those who die from natural causes, old age. accidents, delirium tremens, and the large- mortality of infants within one »mon t h after birth;' circumstances which would occur at tny place, without having anything whatever to do with its sanitary condition. A person visiting the country may catch an infectious disease, he is brought home or taken to the hospital, and may cause the disease to spread. Invalids flock in numbers to some favorite watering-place. The deaths in these cases must disturb the correctness of the Registrar-General's figures as to their being an indication of the healthiness of the town. The doctor observes that this' -important problem is not nearly so simple, nor so easy of solution as was generally supposed, and that the common method of estimating the health of towns by the death-rate, as usually calculated, was entirely fallacious. The several subjects I am going to bring before your notice are familiar to you all, but of the number there are two which are surrounded with a larger share of difficulty than the others. The first is the disposal satisfactorily, the second has reference to our suburbs, which are growing into a densely populated neighbourhood, and require urban regulation for sanitary purposes. Before going into the larger questions, I will refer to a few matters which bear upon the health of the community generally. Baths.—The Council do not seem to be in a position to afford to erect suitable baths at present. I therefore recommend that with the approval of the Government the bathing place in Hagley Park should be fitted up with sundry partitions, the material to be corrugated iron without roofs. The small outlay is for the convenience of our ratepayers and their sons. A few plain rules for the guidance of bathers would be an advantage. Trees.—l have before taken an opportunity to express myself against the continuation of forest trees in the city. Evidence can be produced to show that where they are allowed to exist together in numbers, sickness is produced. There Was a time when they served for shelter; but the increase of houses has superseded their use in that respect. In winter they encourage dampness, and all the year , round prevent a free circulation of air. They should be subject to control for purposes of health. ' Hagley Park.—This is one of the healthiest places possible. It is to be regretted that it is not made more inviting for public resort and recreation.' Some of money laid out on the Government Domain should have gone to the people's park. The grounds on the north eide want to be made convenient for cricket, archery, croquet, and sports generally." Pure air is always sweeping this place, and it will be a source for lament if the present disposition should be extended to the park, and have trees planted so densely that in the course of time it will lose its purity and freshness. The Avon.—lt is important that this river be kept as free from pollution as possible Those parts outside the city require as much attention as those within the belt. The creeks on the western side also require inspection. Night Soil (City)—The disposal of the human excreta of large towns has always been attended with difficulty and at a heavy cost. I think that the earth is its natural destination ; for, as population increases, so there is a greater demand upon the land to yield its fruits, and in proportion that you take them from the) soil, you must return that which contains the elements to re-fertilise the same, otherwise it becomes exhausted. If we had/the opportunity to convey this refuse to the ocean, and there cast it away, it would be an error in principle. This is a subject which has been engaging the attention of engineers, chemists, and scientific men in England, for a very long time past. A great many experimenes have been tried, and many thousands of pounds havt been Spent thereon ; yet science is as far off as ever in arriving at a scheme which combines the requisites of being practical, effectual, and economical. The Rivers Pollution Commission have been exercising their authority to stop muni-

cipal bodies from allowing town sewage to run into rivers, and have acted in the same way with manufactories whose waste water is polluted ; the consequence is, that some towns have been subject to most serious inconvenience. The following extracts from recent sanitary journals, give a general idea of the state of affairs in England with reference to this question. Extracts —Sewage, it is unnecessary to say, continues a difficulty everywhere. Barnsley has been ordered to "utilize" its sewage ; but the question is, how to do it. They have, it would appear, called in MajorGeneral Scott, who will clarify their sewage with lime, and burn the deposits into something which, in a fashion of speech, is called cement. At Hertford, the deodorizing works seem to have proved a failure. The corporation are threatened with proceedings by the Lea Conservancy Board. The works, it is said, are about to be taken over by the Phosphate Sewage Company, who may clarify the sewage very effectively, but there are doubts about the phosphate of alumina as a manure. Complaints are also made by a fussy medical officer of health, of the condition of the Lea ; but the conservators, well knowiug the difficulties the Local Board have had to contend with, and the efforts they have made to avoid nuisance, have very properly refused to take action in the matter. The utter confusion which exists among sanitary authorities is well illustrated by the case of the Darlington Town Council and its rural sanitary authority. The result is that the Board resolve to do nothing. In Hampshire drainage difficulties are springing up in all directions. The Local Government Board are driving the authorities at Winchester to do something, and, through Mr Harrison, suggest clarification, deodorisation, and irrigation, or intermittent filtration, which must involve the city in great expense. At Southampton the difficulty of draining a level district has been fully experienced. It is doubted whether the town is exactly the right place to make the experiment. Some northern town on the midden system would be a better locality. The proceedings at a public meeting at Petersfield accurately reflect the opinions of the inhabitants of most small towns. The Mayor said he had been surprised to hear such a character of the town. He had lived there above fifty years,, and his impression had been that it was a nice, sweet little town, but he was now told to the contrary. They must understand that drainage of the town also meant drainage of the pocket. A year or two ago the Sanitary Board told the guardians they must act. At Horndean the guardians tossed the paper they, received into the fire, and did nothing. At Petersfield they had spent hundreds, and they were none the better for it The sanitary officers did not like to take the pay without doing work, and had hunted about for every nuisance they could find. The medical officer of health read a report, which clearly showed that the inhabitants are in danger of being poisoned by foul air and fouler water. In the end, a resolution postponing the consideration of the question altogether was almost unanimously carried. A deputation recently waited on the Home Secretary to recommend the formation of Conservancy Boards for some rivers. In reply it was stated that no-one had yet thoroughly solved the question what ought to be done with the sewage of great towns. Till that question was solved, it was difficult to say what was to be done. A great deal of money had been wasted upon sewage schemes which would turn out to be perfectly useless. It was right to spend money on works if they were such as the object would be accomplished; but public opinion must first be satisfied that the scheme for dealing with sewage would answer. The Local Board of Bromley are anxious to have a sewage farm. Objection is made that a sewage farm would be a nuisance to the neighbourhood. Dr Carpenter admitted that the pumping station would be a nuisance if not properly managed. Dr Child, the medical health officer for Oxfordshire, suggests that villages and towns shall have water-tight cesspools carefully ventilated, and emptied by atmospheric pressure, as at present is done at the city of Milan. The grand sewage works at Brighton are complete; they will convey the sewage out to sea. An interesting experiment has been made at Birmingham by converting night soil into artificial fuel. The heating power was tried with a certain amount of success. Birmingham offers a good field for the inventor, and he may assist in helping the Corporation out of some of their difficulties. Burton-on-Trent seems to be getting into the same difficulties as Birmingham ; they have a large amount of deposit, and are accused of creating a nuisance. The Town Council of Ipswich cannot decide on a sewage scheme. These extracts are sufficient to show the correctness of what I have stated. And even the use of earth closets is not altogether devoid of difficulty, as they are not suited for large cities, on account of the frequency of being emptied, and the distance to be conveyed. The following is a brief sketoh of some of the various kinds in use : Moule was the first one to bring the earth system into general use. His plan is simply that of supplying at each use a quantity of dry earth, which, falling on the fteses, not only covers them, but removes all offensive odour, and produces a manure highly estimated for garden use. House slops are forbidden to be cast into the closet. Goux's sanitary closet—the mechanical arrangements make the action automatic. It differs from Moule's in the fact that the disinfectant forms an inside lining of the pan. Arrangements prevent offence to both sight and smell. If the conditions are properly attended to, the results are good, Parker's Patent Automaton Inodorous Commodes are self-acting, and directly the seat is relieved from pressure, the evacuations are covered with dry earth from a reservoir affixed thereto Slops are also forbidden to be emptied therein. Gibson's plan is something similar to Goux's, excepting that"the earth is supplied by pressure upon the step below the seat. It also has the feature of receiving the fjeces and urine in separate receptacles, and if the urine is run off to the house drain, slops may • also be poured down that receptacle. King's Patent Self-acting Dry Closet can \be used with charcoal, earth, or ashes, and ;t.ave the merit of cheapness (25s each). | They are self-acting, and by their peculiar construction their object cannot be detected by an ordinary observer.

These extracts will give a general idea of the different earth closets manufactured, of their advantages and disadvantages, and that, if possible, it is desirable to keep liquid separate from the excreta. This, in our case, would be a difficulty without underground drains and machinery to lift the sewage to a higher level at a given point. The cost would be heavy. The General Government have resolved that on and after the Ist July next, the use of earth closets shall be compulsory in all towns in New Zealand containing a population of 2000 and upwards. We, therefore, must submit to this, and the City Council will be required to have the law carried into effect so far as the city is concerned. At present our brickmakers have not, as in England, purchased breeze to assist in the manufacture of bricks, and as every occupied house must of necessity produce ashes, they can all be used in the closets, and have the effect of partly deodorising the soil and preventing nuisance. Disposal of Night Soil. —I would join in a suggestion which has been made to the sanitary committee, and obtain a very large reserve on the Sandy Desert along the Fortymile Beach, not only for this purpose but for cemeteries. I think it possible to reclaim part of this, at present, useless desert, and convert it into a plantation which in the future will become a most valuable property. With this view the night soil should be deposited in a systematic manner, that is, not in large pits as at present, but in long drains of a defined width and depth, and a low of trees of a particular kind planted between each drain. Access to this shall be hy an iron tramway with suitable trucks to convey the carts and other vehicles hereafter referred to. The reserve and tramway to be also available for Addington and the other suburbs. To meet the cost of this we must look either to the Provincial Council for assistance, or get power to borrow money, repayable at a long period, for public works. Rubbish could also be taken to the reserve. Waste Water.—-One of the most difficult matters we have to deal with is the disposal of house slops. They must find their way into the channels with the overflow of artesian wells. The more the latter can be made to run the better, as all our channels are not in a condition to receive house slops by themselves; their nature is such that they ought not to be allowed to permeate the soil, although unavoidable at present. The construction of between eight and nine miles of concrete channelling has been agreed upon, and the work is proceeding as fast as circumstances will permit. It is one of the utmost importance. Cemeteries. —If some parts of the cemetery had been tried in the same manner as at the reserve, there would have been found an enemy close at hand more formidable than the one a long distance off. The site of the present cemetery could have been choseu for only a limited time, and the sooner it is closed against further burials the better. I suggest that the reserve and tramway before mentioned should be available for these pujposes. The Parisians have found it necessary to close their cemeteries, and the municipal authorities, by professional advice, have selected a sandy soil for burials eleven miles from the city. The following abstract will show their appreciation of the choice:— " The.soil of the cemetery is formed entirely of sand. Practical agriculture proves that these permeable soils destroy organic matter twice as quick as close heavy soils, for dung buried in the former is absolutely consumed at the end of two years, nothing remaining, neither humus nor ammoniacal products, nor nitrates. We may be certain, then, that at the place named, nothing of a body except, perhaps, some bones, will be left after the expiration of five years. If the burials are only renewed every thirty years, and if the graves are dug so wide apart that only a fourth of the extent is occu-. pied by bodies, scarcely a twentieth of the surface of the cemetery will contain traces of organic remains. The rest will contain neither nitrated nor ammoniacal products ; nor, for a stronger reason, any traces of carbon or organic nitrogen." This selection has been made after careful consideration, and it meets with general approbation. I therefore see no reason why we should not act in a similar manner. Suburbs.—The districts which immediately surround Christchurch having become thickly populated, the time has arrived when they should be subject to sanitary regulations. The question is, in what manner this should be effected ? Have the City Council a right to dictate to the districts, and tell them they must be taxed and initiate a large system of drainage; or, must we wait for their spontaneous action ? Will you have your own Board, and through them perform your own works, or be annexed to the city 1 With reference to the first proposition: there might be established an elective Board of Works, with powers similar to those of the Canterbury Rivers Act, and borrow money for a long period. There should be only one such Board, in consequence of drainage works passing through Jiifferent districts, otherwise one Board might not agree with the action of the other.

The principal duties of such Board would be to plan and carry out all works connected with drainage, the formation of channels, and make other sanitary arrangements. The next plan is to have the suburbs annexed to the city. The limit will have to be extended from time to time, as land is brought into the market and sold for building purposes. This will bring the city and suburbs under the control of one body, the latter will send their representatives from the different wards when established, similar to the system which prevails in London. The only power we have at present to act upon, is clause 18, Municipal Corporation Act, 1867, which allows of annexation under certain conditions. The. householders of the district must be the moving power to effect this. If any change greater than that contemplated by the Act is required, itjwill be necessary to apply to the General Assembly, and should include the right to return a more equitable number of members to that Assembly and to the Provincial Council. Thedistricts had better have a public meetting and express their views hereon. It is probable they would want to know whether if annexed to the city they wou'd be suhject to its special drainage rate; where their own rates would be spent, and the conditions upon which they would be entitled to the services of our fire brigade. These are important considerations to.be determined upon. Night Soil (suburbs) -The time has arrived when this matter should be dealt with systematically. The general plan in the districts is to have the conventional pit in

the ground. It is an evil of far greater magnitude in a district like this, than in one where there are no artesian wells. In the present case, however, if these pits are allowed to continue, the liquid will find its way to the water, which would have a fearful effect upon those who live further down the natural gradient of the lJbd, in the direction of the flow of the water. It is only about thirty yards below the surface of the ground, By stepping that distance on the level it will be observed that it has not far to travel. Therefore the present system must be abandoned, and until arrangements can be made to take the soil to the reserve as before mentioned, all the cesspools should be made water-tight; ashes should be thrown down the pit daily, to assist in absorbing moisture and deodorising the soil. It is unnecessary to say anything about the storm water and house slops of the suburbs. The same difficulty is experienced as elsewhere, and require large and expensive works to be undertaken to counteract a great evil which looms in the distance. Even now there is plenty of work for an active sanitary inspector. I have now only to mention that I have adverted to those works which are required to be undertaken and carried out to prevent undue Bickness. These works and sanitary regulations may avert diseases of a malignant kind, and check the spread of others ; but much also depends upon the part which the people themselves take in their habits of cleanliness, and in some cases their mode of living, I am however convinced that if the works referred to arej carried out, and the other matters attended to, there is no reason why Ohristchurch, with its beautiful artesian water, should not be one of the healthiest towns in the world. I have been as concise as possible in my remarks, and have not gone into details which come within the province of professional gentlemen. E. B. Bishop, Chairman of Works Committee. Christchurch, January, 1875.