POLLUTION OF WATER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1004, 3 October 1912, Page 2

POLLUTION OF WATER.

PROPOSED LEGISLATION CRITICISED.

At the monthly meeting of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society on Wednesday night the chairman (Mr Tripp) referred to the Pollution of Water Bill now before Parliament, and expressed the opinion that if it was passed in its present form it would mean the absolute destruction of fish in many streams. He considered it very dangerous to attempt to alter the law against the pollution of water. In the interest of the public health, the pollution of water should not be allowed. The present law had been the law of England from time immemorial, and in spite of the fact that England was the greatest manufacturing country in the world, so important in the public interest bad that law been considered that it had been guarded most jealously by Court and Parliament, and the tendency had been to make it even more rigid. That law, although rigidly enforced, had not prejudiced the industries of England. It was far more important in a country like JNew Zealand, where the industries were comparatively small. However, as pure water was essential for the dairy industry, if the Bill became law no dairy factory established on a stream could rely on having a supply of pure water, for any sawmill or flaxmill might establish itself higher up the stream and pollute the water used by the dairy factory. The Bill, in his opinion, affected all acclimatisation societies, nearly all farmers, and the public, li was resolved to refer the Bill to the executive of the Council of Associated Societies and to ask that body to oppose the Bill.