CIVIC ADVANCE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2467, 21 May 1915, Page 7

CIVIC ADVANCE

REVIEW BY CHIEF CITY INSPECTOR. In the course of his annual report th Chief City Inspector (Mr. James Doyle 6tatos that as it is his twenty-fith an nual report it may be of interest to not some of the changes that have take; place in Wellington during tie las quarter of a century. "In 1890," says the report, "thestal consisted of the Town Clerk, the lat Mr. J.- E. Page, who was also Cit Treasurer; the late Mr. G. Wiltshire City Engineer; Mr. J. Ames, City Val uer; Mr. Chappie, Rats Collector; Mi Trimble, Assistant Rate Collector: Mr Hamilton, Building Inspector; ana my self. Mr. T. F. Martin was consultin; solicitor. I was Inspector of Nuisances Traffic Inspector, Inspector for the Lo cal Board of (Health, Inspector of Pub lio Buildings, Licensing Officer, ani Prosecuting Officer. "A report which I presented to thi counoil m 1891 showed—without goinf into details —that there were 6381 houses in the City, which was dividet into four wards, Thomdon, Lambton Te Aro, and Cook; 4892 of the house; were without sewago drains, and the whole of the drainage was dischargec into the harbour. Ton per cent, of 7691 drain inlets which I examined wer< untrapped, and there were twent; deaths in the City from typhoid fever and the death rate for the year wai 14.60 per 1000 of population. Durinj the ensuing five years, 1891 to 1895 there were 76 deaths from typhoid fevei in the City; during the nest five years b 1895 to 1899, the new system of drain age was installed. The cleansing of tlu o City which had been doue by contract was, as suggested in my report, taker over by the council, and a yery market 0 improvement resulted; for instance,thi number of deatns from typhoid, a dis ease which has practically disappeared k was reduced to 37. The death rate foi the year 1900 was 8.91 per 1000, aud c although .the rate for 1914 (10.47) is higher than the rate for the precedinj year (9.08) there is every reason to be lieve that, taking five yearly average! . . when the figures for the years i9ll to 1915 are available, the genera improvement indicated will be maintain' >v ed.

"Among the many improvements made in the City, I might mention, as affecting this department, the resumption by the Harbour Board of Grainger Street, now Blair and Alien Streets, the site of the markets and an important business centre. Grainier Street was 30 feet wide, it contained about 40 cottages of from 2 to 5 rooms, the houses were of an inferior description, generally out of repair, fowls were Sept in nearly every yard, and altogether it was not an attractive locality. Cambridge Road, now Tennyson Street, was rather worse; it was also a 30-feet street, containing 35 three-roomed cottages; the sections were 52 feet, with a frontage of 26 feet. Two houses were built on each section, so that each dwelling had a frontage of 13 feet, with a 2ft. 6in. passage-way between each pair of fiousos, and the yards mostly fowl runs, were approximately 22ft. x 13ft. Eraser's Lane, now Aitken Street, has also advantage to the City—disappeared from the map. Although there are no such places in the City now, there are other areas previously reported on and which I understand are receiving your attention which might, with further advantage, bs remodelled." MR; HERRIES ON THE WEST COAST * (By T«l<er«.pi.—Pros* Association.) Hokitika, May 20. The Hon. W. H. Herries arrived in Hokitika this afternoon and proceeded to Ross, where ho received o number of deputations in regard to local requirements. Mo returned to Hokitika in the evening, and was engaged until J0,20 p.m. in hearing further deputations relative to various matters affecting the district. T>uring an interval, Mr. Herries opened a bazaar which is lieine held in aid of the Belgian Fund, afterwards patronising n. concert for the same object- He was subsequently entertained .by the Wetland' County Council.