THE HEALTH OF THE CITY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 104, 4 May 1871, Page 2

THE HEALTH OF THE CITY.

To the Editor op the Nelsok Eevuing Mail. •Sir, — A leading article aiad letters have been written of late on the subject of the better health of "the; city. By these -writers it appears that there are no other precautions necessary than the drainage of several of the main streets to protect us fronj fevers. This, no doubt, would be some protection ; but there are other evils •.which ; require fl yto be abolished before we \jan consider ourselves safe, namely— The proper cleansing of back premises, particularly in the thickly populated parts of the town. * I believe there is no Act to allow the inspection of offending premises, but a new Act is highly necessary, which oujfl| Legislators should lo^afto time in faamin jH A year or two ago there was great agiH tation both in and out of council respect-^ ing the danger of the accumulation of night-soil and other offensive matter, but nothing further than .mere talk was „..>■ Let us no. longer be- inactive, but vigorously grappTe with the evil. If a cart was sent round two or three times a week, all could be removed, and instead of For remainder of news see fourth page.

„i i:t hrowing a valuable manure on to ■ the. ; f'liiudflit, a(8 is now done'in some 1 instances, it be taken to sdnie convenient place, , .from "whence gardeners, and farmers might ' : ,' purchase it. 'Tfee Board of , Wiorks might r ,4ake;> ithe management of the same, and I' evteryperson requiring said wagon might '"'•JR'ay & sinajl,. e(Wnr. ;' ; \V.\ ''> ; is graduallyi: spreading* and if allowed to; grow, will, in t rafew years, be beyond, our power to cure. I allude to the system of ' .. ,; > Subdividing , town allotments, and so ' forming narrow lanes. "This has ever been a source of trouble in all cities,. for it- is in these lanes where diseases are nursed, and when ripe, spread terror ..throughout the. whole population. In other of 1 pur provinces many of these, narrow alleys, {W.ith a}l, their usual accompaniment? of filth are found. As yet this evil .with . us is only in its infancy, and,: therefore now. is the lime to take measures to prevent its further growth. I cannot see, why the health of the people should be endangered so that a few individuals may ,realise large incomes., . .... t It should be the careful study of our 'liawrframers to prevent the. huddling up of thousands of our fellow-creatures like bees in a hive. -1t,., is a matter which affects the whole 1 colony, and therefore \ the General Government should take steps to check this threatening monster. ' ■ ■ ■ Yours, &c, Wakapuaka, April 26.;'; :;C. H. M-