H.—3l.

Of special investigations and inspections made by the District Health Officer, the following can be placed in tabulated form :— Foodstuffs ..' .. .. .. 6 Townships .. .. .. .. 4 Houses .. .. .. 28 Infectious-diseases hospitals .. .. 3 Buildings .. .. .. .. 39 Nuisances .. .. .. .. 1 Hotels .. .. .. .. .. 21 Piggeries .. .. .. .. 1 Septic tanks .. .. .. .. 12 Creameries .. .. .. 1 Saleyards .. .. .. .. 1 Abattoirs .. .. .. .. 2 Drainage .. .. .. .. 4 Offensive trades .. .. ... 3 Sewage schemes .. .. .. 6 Shops .. .. .. .. .. 1 Meat-works .. .. .. .. 5 Stables .. .. .. .. 1 Factories .. .. .. 4 Rubbish-depots .. .. .. .. 1 Schools.. .. .. .. .. 9 Post-offices (drainage) .. .. .. 2 Water-supplies .. .. .. .. 6 Consumptive annexes .. .. .. 1 Physical Examinations, — Applicants for sanatorium treatment ... ... ... ... 17 Cases of infectious disease ... ... ... ... ... 27 Others ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 26 70 Special Reports have been made on the following subjects: — Administration of sanitary inspection. Septic-tank theory. Contingencies of sale of furniture after death from consumption (New Plymouth Borough Council). Providing, equipping, and maintaining ambulances for the removal of cases of infectious diseases. Investigation of the borough septic-tank, Palmerston North Borough Council. Suggestions concerning the 10-per-cent. certificate of infectious diseases occurring amongst school-children. Circular 237. Summary of Office-work. Each year the work of the office increases greatly, and a glance at the following summary will show the very heavy work devolving on the District Office : —■ Letters written (District Office) ... ... ... ... ... 2,533 ~ (Laboratory) ... ... ... ... ... 1,356 3,889 Circulars sent ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 224 Requisitions served on — Local authorities ... ... ... ... ... ... 186 Individuals ... ... ... ... ... ... 19 Via Factory Inspector ... ... ... ... ... 4 ~ Licensing Bench ... ... ... ... ... 208 On other Departments ... ... ... ... ... 10 427 Applications for admission to sanatorium ... ... ... ... 23 Condemnation certificates issued ... ... ... ... ... 22 By-laws dealt with ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 Prosecutions ... ... ... ... ... ... 12 62 Sanitation of the Various Districts. Apart from, or in addition to, incidental references in the foregoing portion of the report, the following is collated: — Wellington City. Population, 59,230. Infectious diseases reported: Scarlet fever, 525; enteric fever, 25; diphtheria, 125; tuberculosis, 43; blood-poisoning, 8; hydatids, 1. Wellington is every year extending the benefits of its excellent drainage scheme and watersupply further afield. At the present time the preliminaries of connecting up Island Bay, Kilbirnie, Brooklyn, Wadestown, and Kelburne are in hand. In all these places in the past matters of sanitation have not been of the best, and it has been difficult to advise a means of betterment. It is simple enough to point out what should be done to an insanitary house situated in an unsewered boundary, so far as the house itself is concerned, but an owner cannot be asked to put in proper drains and sanitary fittings on the property itself when there is no drain or sewer to connect to when he reaches his boundary. Consequently, it has been found necessary to pursue a somewhat temporarily remedial policy in those parts lately joined to the city. Undrained and

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