A CLEAN COLONY.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 201, 31 August 1901, Page 3

A CLEAN COLONY.

DETERMINATION OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

ENFORCED CLEANLINESS,

[Special to Times.| Wellington, last night. | The Public Health Department is lately displaying evidence of considerable vitality j and a determination to make this colony | as clean as a compulsory law and close inj spection jail make it. In future prosecu- ! tions will follow every proved case of j wilful or careless violation of the law and j the regulations under it. Just now the I Department is taking up a curious j case which lias arisen- in the town jof Shannon, on tlio West Coast of i this Island. New latrines were built for ! the public school at considerable expense, I but because the School Committee did not ' happen to see its way to meet the few | shillings’ expense of keeping them clean and sweet, it closed them up. The result was that cases of sickness broke out amongst several school children. Still the stupid committee could not see the danger of its action. Then the Education Board stepped in and demanded the opening of the latrines. The committee’s reply was to forward the tenders received for the cost of cleaning. The Board then authorised its Chairman to make a final demand, and failing compliance, to stop the committee's capitation, and remedy the matter. In the interval, however, the Health Department has filled the breach', and if the Committee does not do its duty quick and lively, a prosecution will follow. Proceedings are also contemplated against the chairman of a country school committee, who persisted in sending his children to sell, il when suffering from an infectious complaint.