AUCKLAND SANITATION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 19, 17 October 1907, Page 3

AUCKLAND SANITATION.

DR. PURDY'S STRICTURES. THE MAYOR REPLIES. (from OUR OWN CORRESrONDBNT.) Auckland, Octobcr 16. In connection with the recent strictures oi the sanitation of Auckland by Dr. Purdj (District Health Officer), the Mayor (Mr. A if. Myers) lias furnished an interviewer witl an exhaustive defence by way of reply. He fust quoted from a report by the City En gincor (Air. W. E. Bush), who expressed th< conviction that the sanitary condition of tin city was constantly improving, and had nevei been better than at, present. Mr. Bush em phatically dissented from the suggestion pui forward "that the larger number of death: that have lately occurred in the city are dm to any slackness on the part of 'tho official.' charged with the sanitary well-being of the city. No Slackness, Uicro is not, and lias not, been aiu slackness, Mr. Myers said, "and every effort possible is put forward to safeguard ant' promote the health of the people." . Council had just taken ovor tho work ing of the department in connection witl tho sanitary service, the result boing a ven appreciable benefit. When tho house refuse removal was carried out by directly employee labour evory house was visited weekly, ant some of the larger premisos two or three times a week, and in the majority of case; proper sanitary dust-bins had heon-substi-tuted for the old tins formerly doomed sufficicut. Tho whole of this refuse was beinc burned as soon as received. Tho clinker re : suiting therefrom was used to fill up hollows in roads. The plumbing and drainage inspcction was conducted on most efficient lines, and was not excelled by any other citj ill Australasia. Then, when necessity arose there was the work of sower extension and renewal, and in this connection thoro wai much good work which escaped public notice but nevertheless was an important factor' in connection with public health. The streel scavenging was being far more efficiently carried out than over previously. Tho sanitarj inspection was as efficiently undertaken- a: the sizo of the staff would permit, and the citizens had every reason for confidcnce ir the manner in which that elopartment was conductoel by the cliiof sanitary inspector, but more assistance in tho sanitary 1 departnienfc was nccessary. Sanitary Condition of the City. In connection with adverse commcut on the sanitary condition of the city,-the Mayoi read an extract from a report of the Citv as follow:— ■■ *1 s . an 't ar .V condition of the citv show; that the improvements reported during 1905J JUO has been moro than maintained, and tile progress as far as, circumstances allois m many cases is satisfactory. The'deathr! imm Clty P ro P°V f °r 1906 was 12.51 a " estimated population ol 38,0/7, and compares wtth 12.15 for 1905 withi an average for tho past five years- ol 13.19 per 1000." ■Taking tho whole of the district,'city, hne! suburban boroughs into consideration, the eleath-ratc for 1906 was 9.9 per 1000,'basce on a population of 65,381. In the case oi other cities tho death-rate for 1906' wore:— City of Wellington, 9.45 pfcr 1000, on a population of 59,058; including suburbs, 919 oi a population of 61,302. Christchurch' city 11.12, on a population of 50,439; inclueliiif suburbs, 11.25, -on a population of 53,339' Duncd in city, 12.7, on a population of 36,458 including suburbs, 11.36, .on a population o: 56,557. From those figures it is evident that- the death rate of Auckland City is adversely affected by tho fact that the city, only com prises tho central or more densely populatee area, whereas in the ease of .Wellington ane Christchurch particularly, the city include: practically tho whole of the suburbs arid' re sidential areas.. Compared with-Dunedin which lias an almost similar population a: far as tho city is concerned, tho Aucklane death rate is .19 per 1000 lower,' and takilij tho suburbs into consideration tho-rate..i: 1.45 lower. . ' ' It is pleasing to note that as in prcvioin years Auckland has tho highest birth rate viz., 29.96 per 1000 of population. Infectious Diseases. The extract closed with a table showing tho_ numbor of cases of infectious disease: eluring the last five years, the totals bein> 1906-7, 166; 1905-6, 113; 1904-5, 144; 1903-4 247; 1902-3, 291. The increase- hero shorn on the figures for 1906-7, as against the twe pi-wheeling quarters, was attributed by thi report wholly to the large number of case: of scarlet fever. A disease which visits citie: anel towns in almost cyclic periods, anel thi: is being experienced in other towns of the Dominion. -There is a distinct decrease ii enteric and diphtheric diseases, and in thi: connection a number of cases, as in previou: years, have been traced to outside sources. I'Yom theso facts Mr. ,-)yers said it was clear that the sanitary conditions had nol only steadily improved, but good progress was still boing made. The chief sanitary inspector, however, had expressed the opinioi that, owing to the climatic conelitions this winter ,and the prevalence of influenza, etc.. the death rate for the existing year would probably be higher than during the past fen yoars. The Milk Supply. Ho had reported that the enforcement ol the regulations regarding the licensing ol milk vondors had a good effect. The numboi of vendors in the city, now being twentyeight, compared with forty-five wli'en the firsi inspection was made,, and tho milk vendors were still improving their premises, and where possible erecting new shops separate from tho dwellings. A most desirable result._ No less than eighty-one notices regarding improvement of stables had been issued during tho past six months. " Still," said the Mayor, " there is much to do, and tho work can never bo allowed to rest. Not only has the work increased, but tho standard of sanitary requirements lias been raised, and in the case of such a great port as Auckland, with shipping arriving daily from all parts of the world, there is necessity for constant care and supervision along tho water front, and in the business area to prevent such a diseaso as bubonic plague gaining a. hold hero. ' Talcing all things into consideration tho. city's health is woll-eared for, but the policy of progress tho City Council has set itself to pursue, (rill, whon carried into effect, bo of immeasurable bemefit for this and future generations ; but it cannot, of course, be carried into full effect until the most important branch ,namely the drainage scheme, is completed. .