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RIVER POLLUTION

EFFLUENT FROiM MEAT WORKS. MEAT COMPANY'S PROTEST. An appeal by the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company against the decision of the Waimairi County Council not to allow solid matter in the cflluent from the company's works at Belfast to be discharged into the Waimakariri river was heard by an Appeal Board constituted under the Health Act, yesterday. Mr E. D. Moslry, S.M., presided, and with him were Dr. T. G. Gibson (assessor for the Canterbury Frozen Meat Co.) and Mr A. Freeman (assessor for the County Council. Mr R. J. Loughnan appeared for the company, and Mr J. D. Hutchison for the County Council.

Prior to the commencement of the appeal, Mr Loughnan stated that it was only fair for the Board to know that Dr. Gibson was a small shareholder in the company. He had not known this when he had suggested Dr. Gibson. However, he did not think any objection would be raised. Mr Hutchison stated that he would raise no objection, but if one was pressed, he did not doubt that it would disqualify Dr. Gibson. The appeal was outlined by the counsel, £he chairman remarking that the main objection was the discharging of solid matter from the works into the Waimakariri river. Mr Loughnan stated that the requisitions were not called for, and involved more expenditure than could reasonably be asked. The matter affected those industries upon which the country depended. In opening the case, Mr Hutchison had said that the first three clauses were the major one, while the other three were the minor ones. He would no doubt be surprised to learn that one requisite in clauses would require an expenditure of £IOOO. On consideration of the other requisites, he was sure that they incurred a greater expenditure than had been intendedHe suggested that the occasion did not warrant them. Belfast was not a residential district. There were a few scattered houses and farms. As far as he knew it was a perfectly healthy place. There was no suggestion that the intake end of the drain was anything but satisfactory. The greater proportion of solid matter that went down the drain consisted of vegetable solids. Any proportion of auimal matter that wont down the drain, was a direct loss to the company, as every part of the animal was useful. Therefore, the greatest care was taken to prevent any discharge of animal solids into the river. There was a fixed standard of inevitable losses, which was surprisingly low. Where the effluent flowed into the river, fish could always be found. It was known that fish would shun any unhealthy spot and as the fish abounded at the outlet, it showed that, there were no harmful effects. Dr. Thomas Hill Easterfield, director of the Cawthron Institute, stated that he had been instructor in Chemistry of Sanitary Science, in the University of Cambridge, for seven years. He had seen the requisitions complained of, and had visited the works, seeing the conditions prevailing at both ends of the drain. He assumed that the greater part of the solid matter that went down the drain was vegetable solids, and he doubted if they would do any harm. Every autumn large quantities of matter came down the river, and the first autumn fresh brought a great quantity of dying vegetable matter, and had been doing so for all time. In the English rivers, it was customary every summer to cut the weeds and let them drift down, because they were in such quantities that they prevented the flow of water. He did not know that this process had ever been objected to, and he had seen it carried out in the Cam, above the borough of Cambridge. He doubted if there was any risk to public health under the present conditions. "If the solids were taken out and dried, and then disposed of, it would be an interesting, but dangerous experiment, '' added Dr. Easterfield. '' Assuming that the vegetable solids, containing a small quantity of animal solid, were placed on the land, it would become a breeding place for flies, and flies are probably the greatest communicators of disease with which we are acquainted. Where flies are in great numbers, there are also to bo found the majority of human ailments. In 1916 the position became alarming in some of the New Zealand camps, until steps were taken to destroy flies. With the reduction of the number of flies, there was a similar reduction in the number pf entrants to the hospital. That is why I say that it would be a dangerous experiment to put the matter on the land to dry, unless it can be proved that it has been done successfully." To Mr Hutchison witness stated if it could be shown that the drying of the solids on land had been practically and efficiently done without risk to the public health, he would withdraw his statement with reference to it being a dangerous experiment. The chairman stated that the Board had a good grip of the facts, and it might be advisable if it visited the works, and saw the conditions prevailing. The Appeal Board adjourned to make a visit to the company's works.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19271116.2.19

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19159, 16 November 1927, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
868

RIVER POLLUTION Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19159, 16 November 1927, Page 4

RIVER POLLUTION Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19159, 16 November 1927, Page 4

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