THE SANTTARY CONDITION OF THE SPIT.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IX, Issue 461, 14 March 1867, Page 2

THE SANTTARY CONDITION OF THE SPIT.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE HUES. Spit, March 11, 1867. Sir, —I take the liberty of asking you, through the medium of your paper, if it is not possible to fill in or drain the swamp or lagoon in the vicinity of your office ? It is a complete nuisance to parties living in the neighborhood, as well as being detrimental to health. It must be obvious to the most casual observer ; and how the authorities, or those whose business it is to see after and report os such subjects, canid pass it lye unnoticed, 1 cannot comprehend. I must surmise that it is beeause they live in town and do not feel the nuisance nnd annoyance themselves. Labor is cheap enough now to carry on any work, perhaps cheaper than it might again be for some years to come ; and surely there must be enough on the estimates to carry on so small and necessary a work as the one in question. From what I have heard here I feel certain all the householders in the vicinity would co-operate in the undertaking. In conclusion I may say that it is blamed as being the cause of death, in a great measure, amongst us. Hoping you will insert the foregoing remarks, I remain. Sir, A Sufferer. [“ A Sufferer" seems to have inadvertantly fallen into one or two errors ; —the nuisance is, we admit, most abominable and highly detrimental to health ; but it is for the owners of the property in question to abate the nuisance,—not the Government nor the inhabitants of the neighborhood, who, notwithstanding the opinions of "A Suffererwould be most unmilling to tax themselves for the improvement of property belonging to parties well enough able to pay for the work themselves. We know of some who have purchased a portion of the property on purpose to fill it in and have done their part. We think that the owners should be compelled to perform the work, and if existing Acts of Council are not sufficient for this that the new Council should make the subject one of the very first for legislation. — Ed. a. B. T.]