47

H.—3l

New Plymouth. Population, 4,405; death-rate, 9-7 ; deaths from infectious disease—phthisis, 5 (all over twenty); enteric fever, 1; tetanus, 1. There has been a very marked improvement in the sanitation of this borough during the past year. Three hundred and twelve inspections have been made by Inspectors Kendall and Schauer. In the majority of instances their requisitions were promptly attended to. The borough has decided to adopt, at a cost of £8,750, a modern system of drainage in connection with septic tanks, the effluent to be discharged into the sea near the outfall of the Huatoki Stream. The present system of nightsoil-removal is performed in a fairly satisfactory manner, and the borough is about to undertake a better system for the removal of refuse from the more-populated portions of the town. New Plymouth has been provided with an excellent water-supply for the last fifteen years. Stratford. Population, 2,027. This town is provided with an excellent water-supply. The new drainage system in connection with septic tanks is being rapidly pushed on, and considerable sanitary improvement should be expected during the course of the next year. Inspector Kendall makes weekly visits to this town. Eltham. Population, 1,100. The ratepayers of this borough have decided to raise a loan of £14,985 for the purpose of supplying the town with water and drainage. Inspector Kendall visits this town weekly. Inglewood. Population, 1,100. Inglewood has only just been incorporated as a borough. The Council has decided to adopt a system for the weekly removal of nightsoil. Hawera. Population, 2,131. This borough has been provided with an excellent system of water and drainage for the past three years. Considerable extensions to the drainage are to be made during the ensuing year. Marton. Population, 1,101. Owing to the exertions of Inspector Wilson, considerable improvement has been made during the year in the sanitation of this borough, particularly with regard to places where food is prepared. At a cost of £1,700 the ratepayers have decided to have the town creek diverted, but not in the manner that I suggested. In my opinion the culverts provided in the plans will not be large enough to deal with a heavy rainfall; but as the loan was not raised under the Public Health Act it has nothing to do with the Department. Rangitikei District. Inspector Wilson has also done very good work in this district, for which he has been appointed by the Marton Borough, Rangitikei County Council, and Lethbridge Town Board. Unfortunately there has been little improvement in the sanitation of Mangaweka — a township of seven hundred inhabitants, under the administration of the Rangitikei Council—the ratepayers having neglected to carry a loan for the purpose of adopting a simple system for watersupply and drainage. Some improvement has been made in the Townships of Hunterville and Taihape, which are also under the administration of the Rangitikei County Council. Feilding. Population, 2,298. The ratepayers have decided to adopt a system of drainage at a cost of £13,000. This is very necessary, although the sanitation of the borough is not by any means as bad as it is currently reported to be. The chief defect in the sanitation has been due to the stagnation of slop-waters, which are perforce discharged into the water-tables in the main streets. Palmerston North. Population, 6,534; deaths, 81; death-rate, 10-8; infectious diseases notified, 64; deaths from infectious diseases—phthisis 7, tubercular meningitis 1, typhoid 3, diphtheria 1, septicaemia 1. Unfortunately there is very little sanitary improvement, if any, to report for the past year in this town. The borough has recently decided, at a cost of £20,000, to extend the drainage scheme. The drainage is to be received into a septic tank, from which the effluent will discharge into the Manawatu River. It is to be hoped that advantage will be taken of the new drainage to put the old house-drains in order and insure their proper ventilation. Inspectors Perry and Dorizac have been recently appointed by Palmerston, Feilding, and the surrounding local bodies.