THE ONSLQW LOAN.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 437, 20 February 1909, Page 7

THE ONSLQW LOAN.

Sir,—-Amongst suburban residents you always find the "Old-timor" who, having been so long without the comforts and sanitary conveniences of civilisation, is quito incapablo of' realising how necossavy they really nro. Ho invariable resents a»:y attempt to improve a condition of affairs which thoso possessing more reoont oxpericnoo and evon an elomentary knowlodgo of sanitary laws know to bb a menace to the health, of tho community. Constant association with bad sraolls-will corrupt a good nose, so that probably "Ratepayer's" olfactory sense ia. dull, but ha has certainly raad<j it dear. that his sense of decency is even in a worse condition by imputing unworthy motives./:, The suggestion that the proposals we "engineered by spequlativs landholders and syndicates" is a gross libel worthy only of a microßcopso

mind. Truly H fine reward for the loyal and disinterested service of. an admittedly able and upright body of men. Those who live in Onslow are not likely to forget the water famine laßfc summer, with"all its,discomfort and danger to health, the disastrous grass fires, and- the loss of much valuable property which might have been saved had the bor-, ough . possessed an adequate water, .supply. Tank water is very good stuff to wash in when your Bupply is down to the last few. rings. At sucn a time, evon in a "dry district," you avoid it as a beverage it you I are wise, and most carefully keep it from i your children. !! ' It is. rather early while negotiations are still, pending to- characterise the price to be paid for 'the watershed as ridiculous. In audition to the fact that tho expenditure of a specific sum has been onxy authorised by the ratepayers, wo know that Mr. Ilarkness' and: his. "colleagues are keen business men, with a thorough knowledge^of local land values and conditions, and that they are not at all likely to make such a failure of their, task as oiir local Jeremiah so dolefully prophesies. As regards sanitation, the borough is extending rapidly, houses are l now ia . close proximity oh sections ranging from oneeighth of an acre upwards, and in one or two localities the term congested can fairly bo employed to express the position. At present, our household drainage is - run out into the streets, into objectionable soakago. pits, or into one or other of our_ small streams, which from being things of beauty are, fast being transformed into vile open' drains, which in midsummer aro offensive both to sight and.-smeH.-'.The' earth burial system is' in fud swing, and by this time, soma of the, smaller holdfngs contain just about as . muoh .. sewage' as they can safely carry.:. .-. .. .: ■ ~ : This-sort of thing may pass for a while in a sparsely-settled district, but we are get-' .ting too crowded to tolerate much longer the primitive and often disgusting systems qf the back-blocks. A walk: through ; the borough on a quiet evening after a. short spell of dry . weather . will suffice ;to convince anyone, . but , the callous individual 'whose only sensitive spot is his pocket, that the installation, of _a water and. drainage o system _is . absolutely, necessary, and that we might just as well undertake tne work voluntarily instead-of waiting; for tlio Department of Public Health to, compel us to do so. -.■■ ■■■ .. fti his oxcitement • at; the; prospect. of: an increase in rates, tout correspondent wildly, stigmatises the confidence of-those who, think, differently as "gross apathy and criminal . laziness." Such, scolding only excites amusement, and will not delude those who realise, " how much the-'acceptance of; the council s • proposals means to nealth and progress v tho borough.—l am, etc., . , •

RIP. V. TVINBJ3. ■ Ngaio, February 15, 1909.