BOARD OF HEALTH.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 842, 6 March 1877, Page 3

BOARD OF HEALTH.

Tuesday, Mabch 6.

A meeting of the Board was held at 10.30 am. Present—Messrs Hobbs, Ross, Duncan, Wright, Harman, and Jones. The Inspector's report was read. He reported having served several notices to abate auisancea.

The report was approved. A letter was read from Mr Eolloston, calling the attention of the Board to the Antigua street drain. Mr Duncan moved—" That the letter be acknowledged, and that the health officer be instructed to make a close and thorough examination of the neighbourhood, and report to the Board as to the sourch of the nuisance existing in the Antigua street drain, so that the Board can take steps to abate it."

Mr Wright seconded the motion. A letter was read from Mr Martin, complaining of the state of the adjoining sections to his, and also that the neighbours kept pigs. The letter was referred to the inspector, with' power to take action. The following report was read from the committee appointed to consider the pan system and the keeping of pigs within a c'-'-tain distance of habitations : ••Your committee beg to state that, in a' cordanee with a resolution passed at the s : Vting of the Board'on the sth ultimo, they requested the medical officer of the Local Board of Health to inspect the more thickly populated part of the city and suburbs, and report as to the pan system, and keeping pigs' within a prescribed distance of any dwelling. After carefully considering the question, they have the honor to lay before the Board, for its confirmation, if approved, the following;

"1. That the clerk be requested to write to the City Council, suggesting the necessity for the committee, appointed by the Local Board of Health, to meet the sanitary committee of the City Council for the purpose of consulting generally upon sanitary matters and the removal of the night soil. " 2. That a communication beaddressed to the City Council, requesting permission to use the reserves that are now vested in the Council, for the purpose of depositing the night soil, if required by the Local Board of Health.

"3. That for the purpose of ensuring health to the inhabitants of the city and suburbs, which otherwise might be affected, no pigs be allowed to be kept nearer to any dwelling than one and a half chain,

" In the report submitted by the medical officer of health, such valuable information and suggestions are contained that your committee deem it advisable to have it printed in the local papers, also to submit it to the Board for its serious consideration.

"FREDK Hobbs, Chairman." The report was considered seriatum. Clause 1 was passed.

On clause 2, relative to pigs, Mr Jones objected to the distance being so great. He thought a chain distance was quite enough. He did not think they should compel persons to go so far as was now pro posed. Mr Harman pointed out that the distance was that recommended by the medical officer, and he did not think they should ignore that. Mr Duncan thought that if a man had a permit from his neighbours to keep a pig, so long as it was kept clean, they should not introduce the cast-iron rale. He thought it would be better for the people themselves to have, as it were, a voice in the matter. So long as no nuisance was created, he thought that it would be better not to enforce what, in small sections, was prohibitory. After some discussion, Mr Duncan moved the following addition to the end of the clause, viz .• —" As an exception to this rule, permission may be given to persons to keep pigs nearer to dwelling houses, provided those persons who are more immediately interested signify in writing their agreement to such pigs being kept at a less distance than one and a half chains, but not less than one chain." The amendment was agreed to, and the report as a whole, with Mr Duncan's addi tion, adopted. The chairman said, as a proof of the erroneous idea that appeared to be entertained as to Christchurch being so very healthy, he might state that seven cases of typhoid, six of scarlet fever, and two of scarletina had been reported during the fortnight. These were all new cases.

The consideration of the report of Dr Powell, which has already been published, was deferred until next meeting. Several accounts having been passed, the Boar.d adjourned for a fortnight.