THE KAITI NUISANCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 422, 22 May 1902, Page 2

THE KAITI NUISANCE.

A MENACE TO PUBLIC HEALTH. SOAPY TOM ” LECTURES THE LOCAL BODIES. ‘•THE POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK. ’ The members of the Kaiti Road Board spent a busy day yesterday endeavoring to deal with the abatement of the nuisance on the Kaiti beach, but notwithstanding all their efforts they were unable to accomplish the task they so energetically set about in the morning. A meeting of the Board was held at noon to consider the tenders received for the removal of “ Soapy Tom's ” stock. Two tenders had been sent in, one for £lO and the other for £8 10s, whilst Mr C. Gray mado a verbal offer to remove the rubbish to the depot on the Waikanao for 5s a load. The members present at the meeting were. Messrs Harding, Hatris, Bull, and Craii. The first difficulty that cropped up was what was to be done with " Soapy Tom’s ” stock. It was suggested by ono member that the rubbish might be buried on tho beach, but the question as to whether this would not be more expensive than carting it to the Borough depot was raised, and the idea was not favorably entertained.

Mr Bull doubted very much whether the Borough Council won ’ ,:ho

rubbish tu be carted through the town. Mr Harris: Not be allowed to cart it through the Borough ! Why, all that stuff came from tho town, and surely they cannot object to take it back. They have got rid of it on to us, and now they leave us to deal with this nuisance alone.

Mr Harding : If we could only put it on to some other place we would also be pleased to get rid of it. (Laughter.) . After further discussion it was decided to adjourn until the afternoon, aud Messrs Harris and Craii were requested to visit the Kaiti beach and report. Later in the afternoon, when tho Board met, the following report was read to the meeting :

'■ Re Sanitation.—Your committoe have this day visited tho premises occupied by T. S. Cumming, on Kaiti, and we now report as follows :—Wo estimate that there are abotit 15 loads of matorial there accumulated. A verbal offer has been mado to your committee by Mr Chris Gray to remove all that the Board require to bo shifted to his own depot, Waikanae sand hills, at 5s per per load. We on our visit tested the ground in the locality with a view of ascertaining whether it could be buried in a pit, but found on sinkigg to a depth of 21 feet the liolo was rapidly filled with water, aud therefore we consider it impossible to adopt such a step.— Wo are, etc., F. H.uiuis and Rour. Ckail.” The Board adopted the report, and it was decided to arrange with the Borough Council for the rubbish to be carted to tho depot on the Waikanae, and this will bo done to-day. A large number of persons visited the Kaiti beach yesterday, aud inspected “ Soapy Tom ” stock, and wbon the members of the Kaiti Boarl wont round in the afternoon, quite a crowd of spectators had assembled in the vicinity. Tom took very little notice of the great amount of attention ho was attracting, and went rummaging about his “ hoap of valuables,” as though no one was present.

He was inclined to be communicative when he saw the Times reporter coming towards him, remarking, “ I see you have given me a very good notice this morning, but you are only wasting your time. Why don't you give tho Harbor Board and other local bodies a turn ? Don’t you tbink that that piece of open ground there with the heaps of ruDbish upon it is a greater menace to the public health than my few things ? And then look at those green putrid pools of water which have been lying on the main beach road for the last week. It seems to me like the pot calling the kettle black,” whqn they come round complaining about my things being a nuisance.

“ But two wrongs do not make a right, Tom,” replied our scribe. ' “No, they may not,” resumed Tom; “ but you just take a stroll across the'fiat to the breakwater, and see the Harbor Board’s collection. They have ar larger heap than mine, and it consists of old iron, old gropes, sheepsheads, house refuse, broken china, and bottles of all descriptions, They say that it will take ten caYts tc remove my stuff, but I should say that ii would tako a hundred carts to carry awaj the rubbish that they have accumulated on that section. My stuff is quite clean ; there is really nothing that you can object to."

“I quite agree with you, Tom ; the Harbor Board ought to be reminded about the state of their property, but I do got think it is as bad as you make out.” "Well, that is a matter of opinion, and of course you aro not the one to give them away,” remarked Tom with a smi|e. “ I may have a few pots of stale water about the place, but these I can pitch out at any time. But how much better will they bo when they shift me, and have all that stuff remaining in front of this place, and tho road in its present condition? ” “ They will at least be rid of one evil. ! But that is not what I wanted to see you I about. What have you been doing since yesterday ? ” “I have been busy gathering up the : zinc, but tho time allowed me is altogether too short.” | Here Tom produced an order under the Public Health Act, 1900, which had been served on him on April 9th, requiring the abatement of the nuisance within 48 hours, and prohibiting the recurrence of the sarne.j “ They might have allowed me 48 hours, as this did upon the last occasion.” “ Why not put a match to the inflam- ; rnable portion of- the heap, and make a ! clean sweep of it ? ” f “ Because it is all of value. This place ‘ is worth 46; I paid 32s for tho sledge and 1 the windows cost me 275. I was getting . along very nicely, and 1 would have'had & house erected by this time, only tbpy took me to Court and fined me 416 IDs. At present I am working on borrowed money, and if it had not been for Mr , who paid the last fine, I should have Jiad to go ti gaol. Everything here is of value. For each article I can get a half-peuiy, I never bend my back for less than that amount.” “ ''

And here Torn produced from his pocKet four fresh eggs, and remarked, “ I picked these’pp along the river bank this morning. They are worth in tlie shop l|d each. That is what I saw the grocer ffiyg a young lady for them last night. I never bend m.y back under half a penny,” concluded Tom, “ and that is more than you can say.” The old fellow then got back on the subject of the reserve in front of his dwelling place, remarking, “ It is all alike around here ; there is not one place better than another, that is the injustice of the thing. I am trying to separate the old iron and zinc, and leave the other stuff."

And Tom seeing the Borough Inspector and members of the Kaiti Board coming in the distance remarked, “ Here are the push coming ; I must get along with my work, or I shall never get through.”