INSANITARY DWELLINGS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1107, 21 April 1911, Page 2

INSANITARY DWELLINGS.

Sir,—As chairman of tho Health Committee of the City Council, I think that, in'justice to the members of that committee, your article in this morning's issue should not be lelt unanswered. The Sanitary Inspector's report for the past year will bo available lor publication in the course of a few days, and will I think afford a complete answer to your strictures, but in the mcautimo 1 would liko to say:— (1) That the inspection of the city is at present carried on by Mr. Doyle and three assistants, under the direction of tho City Engineer. (2) That during the past year every house has been inspected-at least once, and more frequently in congested nreas. A record of tho condition of -each ol the 15,000 odd buildings in tho city is now on lile, and will be kept up-to-date

so that at any time the history of each building can be seen at a glance, and action taken as may appear necessary. The death roll per thousand of population for 1910 is 8.1)5 per cent., tho lowest of any of the lour centres. Hardly a' meeting of the committee goes by without, quite a number of repair ami condemnation notices being authorised, ami generally speaking every effort is being made, and successfully made, to ensure a thoroughly efficient and systematic inspection of the city, and tho removal of all buildings that are unsuitable for habitation. Of course, in a city liko Wellington, that has grown up from small beginnings, there must necessarily bo a number of old houses that, while not ripo for condemnation, arc perhaps unsightly as compared with tho more modern buildings, but they cannot be condemned simply on that account, 'l'ho Chief Health Officer acts in cordial cooperation with the council's officers, and it is difficult to see how the important work of the inspection of the city can bo more efficiently dealt with than is the caso at present.—l' am, etc., G. SHIRTCLIFFE. [The information given by Councillor Shirtcliffe is of interest. Possibly tho report to which he refers will supply tho details we asked for, and which aro necessary to enable a correct judgment to be formed as to the value of tho inspection made. Wd know that the building known as "Warnock's" was condemned some years ago, and we aro also aware that it was not destroyed. Our chief concern, however, is to .make the law effective.]