RIVER POLLUTION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1763, 30 May 1913, Page 4

RIVER POLLUTION.

A POSSIBLE REMEDY. In connection with the problem of rire# pollution which caino into prominence during tho last session of Parliament, tho Primo Minister Ims instructed responsible officers of tho Departments of Agriculture and Public Health to make themselves i'uly cognisant of tho details of a process, which emanates from Ireland, lor tho treatment of dairy factory wastes and sewage in such a manner as to provent the pollution of rivers by those resultant effluents which necessarily must find an outlet to neighbouring crocks and rivers. It is claimed for this process that the grosser particles in such wastes aro .precipitated and may bp subsequently dried and used as a fertiliser, and that the resulting supernatant liquid or diluent can be discharged into rivers without risk of pollution thereof. Tho process is a patented one. _It n understood, however, that the precipitin tin,r medium is not in the nature ol a disinfectant, is non-poisonous, cheap, readily obtainable in New Zealand, and easily applied. Tho reports to hand from Ireland aro said to bo extremely favourable. Competent persons have used tho encouraging expressions. that the facts (lli< effect of tho treatment) admit of no con : tradiction, and that the appliances usee til dealing with creamery wastes avc. toi simplicity and usefulness, 111 the liatuio of a marvel. The Prime Minister is hopeful that if even only somo of tho advantages claimed, for tho 'process arc demonstrated to bo efficient and practicable under New' Zealand conditions, ft very considerable stop will have been taken to secure the minimising of tho pollution of rivers without involving main - of our dairy factories which have difficulties to overcome in costlv expenditure, which inevitably would be niuch to the detriment of one of .Now Zealand's most important industries. The Minister for Public Health is also informed that this process is being, applied experimentally, under the aegis of the C'itv of Dublin Corporation, to tlio treatment of the city sewage. Inquiries are being pursued to ascertain tho practicability and effectiveness of tho process for application to .the treatment of tho sewage, most especially of inland towns, in New Zealand.