POLLUTED WATERS

Evening Star, Issue 19784, 7 February 1928, Page 11

POLLUTED WATERS

AH ODIFEROUS PUZZLE GROSS WORDS AT GREEN ISLAND What is it that Is beyond dqscyiption? Is a disagree to a civilised coraiv. unity? , Becomes worse on account oi urj weather? Nearly caused Green Islanders to cry “stinking fish”? Some residents of Green Island shut their windows to shut out and get shut in ? Has an odor which can be likened only unto that produced by the carcass of a long deceased mule which has been burst by a high explosive shell P Three guesses? You won’t need ’em. It’s a smell, the smell of the Kaikorai Stream, which, ms every school child knows, flows from its source to its mouth after winding lazily through the borough of Green Island. Tho questions which constitute the puzzle arc converted into such after having been culled from the remarks of various councillors who, at the monthly meeting of the Green Island Borough Council last evening, criticised their native atmosphere in no uncert; -i terms. Seriously speaking, there seems every justification for the outcry. As two newspaper men who had attended the meeting were cleaving their way from tho council chamber towards the railway station they noticed that the few people who wore in the streets near tho stream were doing at East 160 steps to the minute to get away from it. For it is said that the blot on the borough’s escutcheon has added terrors bv night. To he sure, there was a young couple standinsr near the footpath bridge who seemed entirely unaware of the unwholesome atmosuhere they breathed. Only love—-all-conquering love—can overcome the sinister power of the Kaikorai Stream. The discussion came up first of all as a recommendation from the Sanitary Committee that the medical officer of health be communicated with in regard to the stream's present state. Cr H. A. Christie set the ball rolling by stating that it had not been in such a bad state for the last twelve mouths, and it was time the health authorities looked into the matter. Green Island, by divers means, had recently got rid of many smells, and the neighboring factories wore doing their best to obviate them. He did not know how people in the vicinity of the stream could stand it, and it was high time that the water was purified. Cr Orange considered that a great deal of the filth in the stream came from outside the boundaries of the borough. It was time the attention of the health authorities was drawn to tho matter. On Saturday tho water had been observed to bo absolutely black.

Cr Lindsay also bad taken note ol tho creek, and did not know when it had been so bad. Some steps should be taken to do away with the nuisance. It was worse than laity smells. He was quite sure that the source of the odor came from beyond the borough. The town clerk (Mr L. Burk), who consulted a big book which contained information concerning polluted waters, sounded a note ol warning lest the council should become involved in enormous expense if it took charge of the creek beyond the borough boundaries. Cr Christie said that the Health Department had the power to take charge of it.

Cr \V. T. Smelliu stated that the stream had become worse on account of the dry weather, and at night time the smell was especially bad. At times he had seen foreign matter floating down, Cr 11. Connor emphatically endorsed all that had been said. “ 1 don’t know how people live near it,” he continued, •ftFortunately, ■ 1 have a very slight sense of smell.” The council, almost in one voice: “You’re lucky!”

Cr Connor thereupon related how Cr Passmore at a- recent committee meeting had compared the stench as being on a level only with a Gallipoli mule, long since dead. “ Nothing I could say could make matters seem worse,” said Cr P. O. Smellie, “Last year we interviewed an inspector from the Public Health Department, but wo could not get very far with the matter, fn fact, 1 was criticised for drawing attention to it by a ratepayer, who said I was forcing down the value of the land, and that I had a misconception of my duty towards the borough. The stream is a disgrace to a civilised community.” Cr Smellie went on to say that all the council’s efforts to improve the appearance of the borough were being nullified by it. Although a great deal of the pollution came from outside the borough there must be some method of dealing with it. It was beyond description. The recommendation of tho Sanitary Committee did not go far enough, and in view of the conditions, which were worse since last meeting, they must say more. They had asked the department on one other occasion for a report, but no reply had been laid before tho council. Affairs relating to drainage had been stressed, and all the matters pushed into the background. He would like to have the Public Health Department asked for a report on the causes of (he smell together with recommendations for overcoming it, which would help the council to remedy the nuisance. He moved that the department be written to in that strain.

The Town Clerk said that any person who polluted a stream passing through a township, or who made it offensive in any way, was liable to a fine. He considered that outsiders should not get off scot-free. Cr Orange wound up tho attack by saying the stream was a source of danger to the people of Green island as well as to passing motorists. The Health Department’s inspector should supply a report immediately.

Cr P, O. Sniellic’s motion was carried unanimously.