THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1881. THE SANITARY CONDITION OF OUR SCHOOLS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2153, 19 January 1881, Page 2

THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, JAN UARY 19, 1881. THE SANITARY CONDITION OF OUR SCHOOLS.

Once more and in very forcible language the Medical Officer of Health for the district has called attention to the bad sanitary arrangements prevailing at our public schools. It is scarcely possible, more particularly at this season of the year, to overrate the importance of tho keenest supervision being exorcised in this respect. The congregation for several hours of the day of largo numbers of children is sure to transform our schools, under present circumstances, into perfect hotbeds of disease. This in itself is bad enough, but worse remains behind. The school becomes the disseminator into tho homos of tho people of disease, and thus, though every precaution may bo taken by householders to avoid tho least cause on their own premises, these are rendered nugatory. It is very hard to understand why the Board of Education, in view of tho urgent recommendations of the Medical Officer, have not issued stringent and peremptory instructions to the various committees to have this matter looked to. The delay which has already taken place savours very strongly of the practice of tho Circumlocution Office. Indeed, one of tho officials of the Board itself, appears to have been so thoroughly and completely astounded at tho Medical Officer “ wanting to know you know,” that he treated him with a brusqueness hardly consistent with common civility. This is far from being as it should ho. The Medical Officer, in aiding tho Board of Health to conserve as far as possible the health of the city has most

mportant duties to perform, and every issistance and facility should be given to him, more especially under present circumstances, so as to enable him to discharge them efficiently. Lot us briefly draw public attention to what has taken place. So far back as March 11th, 1879, the then medical officer of the Board, the late Dr. Powell, reported as to the unsatisfactory condition of the schools under the control of the Board of Education. This report would in all probability find ts way in due course to that body. Nothing, however, appears,to have been done, as on December 20th, 1880, we find the present officer again drawing attention to the fact of the schools being dangerous to health on account of bad sanitary arrangements. Yet so far as we can see no steps are taken, for in the month of January, 1881, the medical officer again remarks upon what remains to bo done. It seems to us that the neglect to have this matter looked into, whether resting with the Board of Education or the school committees, is deserving of some public notice. Hero we have establishments in which from three to six hundred children are collected, wanting in the most essential precautions for the preservation of health. As we have alroady pointed out, this means that the seeds of disease are sown broadcast in our midst. No one knows where it may break out, and what may be the extent of its ravages. That this is no fancy or too highly-coloured picture, we have only to refer to the case of the school at Papanui. Hero, we are told, diphtheria has broken out in six families, the children from five of which attend the school, and the medical officer affirms that the disease emanated from the school. Two of the cases have already proved fatal, and it is impossible to say how many more may follow. This is a case exactly in point, and shows that in our remarks we have only anticipated what has really taken place. But suppose such an epidemic to break out in one of the crowded city schools. In that case, instead of six families we might find the disease ripe in a hundred. This being so, we urge upon the Board of Education to take this matter in hand at once, and see that the sanitary requirements of each school is is upon such a scale of completeness as will ensure, so far as is possible, immunity from disease. To delay longer is to increase the danger. Now before the schools re-assemble, plenty of time remains for the improvements suggested by the Health Officer, and it is to be hoped that not a day will bo lost in their carrying them into practical effect. THE LICENSING BENCH.

We took occasion in an article a few days back to call public attention, perhaps more markedly than it has been before, to the existence in our midst of some social plague spots. To-day, wo once more desire to refer to the same subject, though under a different phase. The conduct of licensed houses in this city is, as perhaps our readers are aware, supposed to be under the supervision and control of a Licensing Bench. Wo say supposed advisedly, because it must bo as well known to these gentlemen as it is to the public, that there exist licensed houses in this city, where not only is the law contravened as regards selling at unlawful hours openly and nnblnshingly, but where also women of bad character are encouraged to pursue their shameful calling, and allowed to congregate for the purpose. The places are equally responsible for what we cannot but regard as a disgrace to us as a[community, with those places to which reference was made in a former article. Yet they are shielded under the mgis of the law, and no attempt is made by the authorities to put a stop to what is notorious. We contend that any licensee knowingly permitting females of bad character to assemble in his house, should not bo allowed to hold a license, and that it is the duty of the Licensing Bench to enforce this salutary provision, so far as lies in their power. Of course wo shall at once be told, that these scandals not being officially brought before them, they cannot act. But we deny the truth of this proposition. The members of the Licensing Bench know—or else they only out of the community are ignorant—that there are licensed houses here, where night after night hordes of bad characters, both male and female, congregate. This disgraceful fact stares ns in the face in some of our most frequented thoroughfares, and yet no steps are taken to prevent it. We say moat emphatically that such an evil as this should bo put down with a strong hand, and the Bench should warn the licensees so offending, that unless an alteration be made, no licence would bo granted to them.