POLLUTION OF WATER.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1561, 3 October 1912, Page 6

POLLUTION OF WATER.

PROPOSED LEGISLATION CRITICISED. At the monthly, meeting of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society last night the chairman (ilr. Tripp) relerred to the Pollution of water Bill now before Parliament, and expressed the. opinion that if it was passed in its present form it would mean the absolute destruction of fish in many' Streams..' He considered it very dangerous to attempt to alter the law against the pollution of water. In the interest of the public health, the pollution of water 6hould not be allowed. The present law had been the iaw of England from time immemorial, and in spite of the fact ,that England was the greatest manufacturing country in the world, so important .in the public intorest had that law been considered that it had been guarded .most jealously by Court and Parliament, and the tendency had boL'n to make it even more- rigid. That law, although rigidly enforced, had not prejudiced the industries of England. It was far more important in a country like Xew Zealand, where the industries were comparatively email. However, .as pure water was essential for the dairy industry, if the Bill became law no dairy factory established on a stream could rely on having a supply of pure water, for any sawmill or ilaxmill might establish itself higher up the stream and pollute the water used by the daily factory. The Bill, in his opinion, affected all acclimatisation societies, nearly oil farmers, and the public. It was resolved to refer tho Bill to the executive of the Council of. Associated Societies and to ask that body to oppose the Bill.