INSPECTION AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1647, 14 January 1913, Page 8

INSPECTION AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

Sir — Somo time ago an article appeared in your daily in which reference was niado to tho neatly garbed inspectors of this city. May 1 ask whoro they nro to bo found? I have lived within two miles of tho city for the past six months and have novcr onco been visited by, or seen, one of these inspectors; nor havo any of my friends who live ncaror the eity. As an Australian I cannot help noticing several thiugs which Now Zealand is far behind our land in. For instance, every month and oftener we havo visits from

inspectors who see that drains are kept ■ free from filth and properly flushed with : disinfectants; also that dust boxes have sealed lids. Here I havo noticed any kind of boxes or tins may be used for tha disposal of rubbish, even to the discarded sanitary .pan. . Tho contents of butchers' shops, with tho exception, of one or'two, are all exposed to the dust and dirt- of tho stiv.t and flies. Tho small goods shops with their contents are overrun with blow-flies and small'flics, instead of tho sliding windows used over "the other.side"'being compulsory here. L can Bay with truth that with tho exception of. three articles of meat bought during tho past three months from butchers here every articlo or part of an article has been discarded on nccount of its being blown. Flies do not seem to be looked upon as germ carriers here. Is there a Puro Poods Act here? I bought two tins of a certain brand of pineapple a few days ago and found, on opening them, they contained only the cut-up rind of the pine and a little juice. Unfortunately we have not yet got the sewerage here an«j'the sanitary arrangements are disgusting. I The »erv}ctor uses no disinfectants in tho discharge of his duties and evidently there is no method of cleansing tho pans. I'm sure were Wellington less windy' the death-rate would bo much higher. Forgive my taking up so much of your valuable space,' I am merely writing not to criticise this fair city (for I hope to spend many years here), but as a resident who is surprised at the lack of cleanliness and iridifferenco x shown by those responsible for the of tho community.—l am, etc., COLONIAL. Northland, January 11.