BOARD OF HEALTH.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2170, 8 February 1881, Page 3

BOARD OF HEALTH.

Tbe Board met at 230 p.m, yesterday. Present—Messrs Harman (chairman), Tancred, White, Cuff, Hobbs, and H. J. Hall. The Chairman said he desired to acknowledge the compliment paid him by the Board in re-electing him as chairman. A deputation from the sanitary committee of the City Council, comprising the Mayor, Ore. Taylor and Treleaven, waited on the Board with a view to discuss tho question of the transfer of the powers under the Health Act to the City Council. Or. Taylor said that from a letter received from the city solicitor they were of opinion that the powers proposed to be conferred upon them did not give them power to compel the inhabitants of the city to comply with the law. At present the powers did not give them the legal right necessary except the Council entered into an arrangement with every private individual. He wanted, as chairman of the City Council sanitary committee, to see the matter settled, and perhaps the best way in which this might be done would be to have a new Act passed. The Chairman read the letter of Mr Garrick, which has already been published, in which the opinion was given that under the powers to be delegated by the Board of Health to tbe City Council, it was necessary for the Council to enter into a special contract with each of tbe citizens as regarded the removal of the night soil. The Chairman said he desired to call Or. Taylor’s attention to the fact that a form of agreement bad formerly been entered into between the City Council and the citizens.

The Mayor said it used to be signed by people as a mere matter of form, but now there was somewhat of a spirit of opposition to the work being done. Or. Taylor said that what ho should propose was that the Board ‘of Health and the City Council should join together to got an Act empowering seme one to do the work.

The Chairman asked whether Or, Taylor was of opinion that the Public Health Act being repealed would give the Council the powers necessary. Cr. Taylor said evidently this was the case, as now the law was against them, inasmuch as when they went into Court they were always defeated. They found that they could not do the work satisfactorily to themselves or the citizens under the present law. The Chairman thought perhaps that, as the solicitors to the City Council were also the solicitors to the Drainage Board, the best way would be for them to ask the solicitors what legislation would be necessary to enable the City Council to take the work in hand. Mr Hobbs thought the letter of the solicitor could be read to mean that if the Council made a by-law under the Public Health Act making it compulsory on the citizens to keep, their premises clean, they could enforce it without trouble. There was no doubt under clause 49 of the Public Health Act, that the local oody—in this esse when the powers were delegated—who would bo the City Oouncil, could make a by-law fining anyone up to the sum of £SO. The by-laws under the Public Health Act were far easier made than under the Municipal Corporations Act, and this seemed to him to give ample power to the Council to make the by-law. Mr Garrick’s advice came to this, that the Council should accept the delegation, as proposed, entering into a form of agreement with those who were willing to do so, and passing a by-law under clause 49, compelling those who did not agree to comply with the same. Or. Taylor said the committee and the Council had thoroughly considered the Act, and they were of opinion that it was very cumbrous, and required amendment. Mr Hall said that this meant just that the obstruction was in the Act, and not in the method of delegation. Or. Taylor said this was the case. The Council were satisfied that the Board had done all in their power to delegate the powers under the Act to the Council. The Chairman said he thought the best way would be for the sanitary committee to put in writing just what difficulties they saw in the working of the Act, and then it could be sent on to the solicitors, asking them what they recommended to be done to meet the difficulties which were spoken of, and then the Board and the sanitary committee could work together. Or. Taylor thought that the course suggested by the chairman was the proper one. Mr Hobbs thought the best way would be for the Council to adopt the advice given by Mr Garrick, and then so soon as the point was raised they would have something to go to Parliament with to ask them to amend the Act. The Mayor raised the point whether the delegation by the Board of the powers covered all under the Act conferred on the Board. Mi- Hobbs thought the Act clearly gave the Board power to delegate the powers to the City Oouncil, Or. Taylor said that the City Council considered that there was a defect in the powers of delegation.

In reply to the Chairman, Or. Taylor said that the defect in the Health Act not giving power to strike a rate was one of the difficulties in the way. Mr Hobbs suggested that a committee of both bodies should meet at the solicitors to confer npon the difficulties raised. The deputation having thanked the Board, then retired, it being understood that the Council would at once forward a statement of difficulties they found in the working of the Act.

The Chairman mentioned that the annual report of the medical officer would be laid before the Board at the next meeting. A letter was read from the Board of Education as follows: — I have the honor, by direction of the Board, to inform yon that the Board has considered the report of the medical officer as to the state of the closets at the public echoes in Christchurch and the suburbs, and has called the attention of the school committees to the matters pointed out as needing correction. # With regard to the medical officer’s complaint of having been obstructed when visiting the Normal School, I am directed to forward a statement by Mr Wallace, piving his account of what took place between Dr. Nedwill and himself. lam also to explain that Mr Wallace’s position in the Education Office is not one which entitled him to exercise any authority with respect to the Normal School. I| have, &c., J. V. Colborne-Veku, Secretary. The Chairman Board of Health, Christchurch. A letter was read from Mr La Nauze with reference to the drainage of New street, Madras street North.

The Chairman said that the sewage pipe was laid in front of all the houses in this street, and it would not be any hardship to call upon the owners and occupiers of the street to connect with the sewer, particularly as the state of the street was such as to render it not only dangerous to the residents, but to the city in general. It was resolved that notices be served on the occupiers of the bouses complained of to abate the nuisance. Accounts to the amount of £44 4j lOd were passed and ordered to be paid. Mr Hobbs said that he desired to say with respect to a letter written by Mr Jackson in the Pbesb of Saturday morning, that the Drainage Board had offered to give arterial drainage to Fapanui if the Boad Board would aid them by laying side channels. Ho thought it was a crying shame that the Avon Boad Board|should so persistently neglect what was its plain duty. Every season there were deaths caused solely and simply by the refusal of the Avon Boad Board to do what was its duty, Mr Hall confirmed what had been said by Mr Hobbs. It was perfectly impossible to walk on the footpaths from the stench arising. He thought the Board should at once urge npon the Avon Boad Board the necessity of doing their duty. The meeting then terminated.