WATER AND HEALTH

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 33, 9 February 1931, Page 10

WATER AND HEALTH

THE CLEANING UP

NAVY AND VOLUNTEERS

The stunning effect of the great blow to Napier has worn off, except perhaps to many people outside who aro just beginning to realise its extent, and organisation, is taking the place of very pardonable disorganisation in the stricken district. Assistance has been forthcoming in an amazingly generous manner from all sections of the people of New Zealand, and the Government ias sanctioned with all possible speed the energies of all tho Departments able to assist, members of which were only awaiting the official announcements to spring into the breach. Napier is now not only organised, -but working at feverish speed to restore the roads and the various supplies which spell cleanliness and health; even tho telephonic communication and lighting aro receiving practical attention. CLEARANCE OF STREETS. •A wonderful clearance has been made in ,the ruined streets already. Masses of brick and debris are being carted «iway in lorries. Blasting is removing the moro obstinate remains of buildings. The tragic work of-removing bodies still proceeds, but now the bluejackets are wearing, gas masks, and chloride of lime is freely used. Hitherto the use of picks in breaking. up the masses of masonry has not been allowed because of the uncertainty of the position.of bodies, but hope lias slowly, .and unwillingly died regarding those buried in the ruins, and soon all means possible must be used to clean up and disinfect the tovru. The health aspect of llic city's plight, lias not been overlooked. No.source of water is above suspicion, even artesian suplies being subject to interference and contamination through ■tn-isted and burst pipes, and now all -vvatcr is'-chlorinated, except some which .is brought from wells outside tho close-ly-settled area. Sanitary services aro -n-jeing established, and a house-to-house inspection is being made with the object of cleaning up homes where everything was left when the womeff were evacuated. • Decomposing food lies everywhere on the floors, were it fell, and there are nueh thing's as butchers' old stocks and tho disposal of the vast amount of meat in cold storage, which would have constituted a real menace unless dealt ' with. The interiors of homes tell the story of the tragedy most pathetically. It is the jam season, and in the favoured fruit district of Hawkes Bay most housewives had just finished making their year's supply. This is spread in a sticky sheet on the floors, mixed with broken glass that crunches under tho feet. Here there is a mixed fruit salad, ready for the dinner that never was eaten, and there lies the day's roast uncooked and the vegetables ready for the stove. Even filleted fish Ho far from the plates on which they were awaiting the frying pan. All this litter must be'cleaned up. STEADY PROGRESS. Nearly 1000 voluntary workers have Ibeen enrolled, and under tiie guidanco of the Public Works Department there is,a system of steady work that has proceeded without cessation during the daylight hours. With the aid of Hights, work will be possible'both day aDd night. The -risky work done by the Navy of demolishing hanging walls and extricating bodies cannot be too highly praised, the more ghastly of these duties being carried out just as relatives would wish. The presence of the Navy, in fact, has made for security of effects and decency in these pitiful recoveries that would otherwise .nave been far from certain. -». The local arrangements under community control have also been more efficiently organised, and the rapidity with which the streets are being cleaned up is remarkable. Napier is recovering its civic consciousness, and the matter of reconditioning the city is being thoroughly gone into. Engineers are examining water levels, and the house-to-house service is being tested and gradually restored. The stability of all buildings for the carrying on of business is being determined by expert advice, and re-erec-tions are only sanctioned by the committee. There is to be nothing haphazard in the reconstruction methods, as this is to be gone into by the Government architect and the designing cnghieeer of the Public Works Depart-

ment, while the town-planning heads will be consulted as to new lay-outs. The revival of the civic sense is shown in suggestions already being made that some of the smaller defects in Napier's lay-out can be remedied in the process. The question of education ia being considered.