PUBLIC HEALTH ACT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 204, 25 August 1873, Page 2

PUBLIC HEALTH ACT.

The necessity of taking some steps fo protect the public health has at length forced itself upon the public, and at a meeting of tbe Central Board held on Saturday it was resolved to petition the Governor to order that the provisions contained in Part 11. of the Public Health Act be brought into force in the Province of Nelson. The following is an abstract of clauses 20 to 45 inclusive, which, with the exception of clause 20, which cannot take effect until 1875, will at once be brought into operation. That something of the kind is required will be admitted on all side 6, the more so that there is at the present time an epidemic disease in our midst which there is reason to believe may be traced to the defects of our sanitary arrangements :-— Clause 20 provides that after the 20th June, 1875, all houses within the limits of towns having n population of 2000 shall be provided with earth or water closets, and, if the latter, with proper drains, the Local Board, in the absence of a system of drainage or water supply, to make provision for supplying and removing earth for or from the closets. Clause 21. — The Central Board to have power to make such regulations as may be necessary for the prevention or mitigation of epidemic, endemic, or contagious diseases.—- Also to provide by such regulations for the cleansing of streets and publio ways and places by those entrusted

by law with their care or management, or by occupiers of adjoining houses; for regulating the number of inmates of lodging - houseß ; for the removal of nuisances, &c. — Also to provide for the establishing hospitals, and for affording medical aid to persons afflicted with such diseases. — Also that the Board may require the Locul Boards In. all cases in which diseases of a malignant and fatal character are discovered to exist in any dwelling house situated in an unhealthy or crowded locality, or being in a neglected or filthy state, to compel the inhabitants to remove therefrom, and to place them in a place of proper shelter. Clause 28. — When a disease dangerous to the public health breaks out, the Local Board is to provide some place for the reception of the sick and affected, to which the Board may cause them to be removed with their own consent. Clause 24. — Persons acting in the execution of this part of the Act, to have power to enter and inspect any dwelling, if there is reason to believe that any person has recently died there of such diseases, or that there is any filth or other matter dangerous to health therein. ! Clause 25 provides that the powers of Local Boards not, enforcing this part of I the Act may bo transferred to the Central Board ; also that any expense which the Central Board may incur in carrying out the provisions of this part of the Act, shall be recoverable from the Local Board. Clause 26, — No noxious or offensive business, trade, or manufacture shall bo newly established in any building or place within the district after this provision is applied to the district, under a penalty not exceeding £50, and a further penalty of forty shillings for each day during which the offence is continued. Clause 28 vests the entire management of all sewers and drains in the Local Board. Clause 29. — The Local Board to have the power of examining drains, water closets, cesspools and ashpits, and in the event of their being found in bad condition, to cause the proprietor or occupier to make such alteration aa may be deemed necessary. Clause 30. — The Local Boards are to cause all ponds, pools, open ditches, sewer?, drains, and places used for the collection of any drainage, filth, or anything of an offensive nature to be drained, cleansed, covered or filled up at the expense of the owner or occupier of any premises in which they may exist. Clause 32. — The Local Board shall require the owner or occupier of any house intended to be used as a school, or a factory, or of a building in which more than fifteen persons are gathered or employed, to construct a sufficient number of earth or water closets. Clause 33 empowers the Local Board upon the certificate of the Medical Officer of Health, or of any two medical practitioners to compel the owner or occupier of any dwelling house that is in such a filthy or unwholsotne condition as to aflect the hf iltfri?v" IP -- Derson t0 whitewash, cleanse, Clause 34 extends the same power upon a similar certificate to deal with slaughter houses, butchers shops, and other establishments where noxious trades or manufactures are carried on. Clause 35 provides for the inspection of slaughter houses, &c, by any officer of the Local Board. Clause 36 gives power to the Local Board to inspect and cleanse, if necessary, all premises in. connection with slaughter house yards, outbuildings, &c. Clause 37 empowers the Board to enter into and inspect any butcher's, poulterer's,

or fishmonger's shop, or any slaughter house, or building, or stall, used for the sale of provisions, and to seize aud destroy any unwholesome article of food. Clause 38 forbids the keeping of swine near any dwelling piace, so as to be a nuisance to any person, or the existence of any offensive water closet, or any other nuisance. Clause 39 defines the penalties to be inflicted for obstructing this part of the Act. Clause 40 provides for the infliction of a penalty not exceeding £50, for disobedience of thia part of the Act. Clause 41 states that all offences under this part of the Act are to be heard and determined before two Justices of the Peace. Clause 42 provides for the enforcement of all penalties incurred under this Act. Clause 43. — All moneys arising from fines, penal ties, and forfeitures under this part of the Act to be applied towards defraying the expenses of carrying it into execution. Clause 45 allows an appeal from the general orders of the Local Board to the Central Board of Health.

For remainder of news see fourth page,

The machinery employed for the year ending March 31 last, on goldfields of the colony, was as follows :— -Thames : 73 engines, 1,654 horse-power ; 11 machines, 881 stamps, 56 waterwheels ; approximate value, £211,325. Marlborough: 220 sluice toms and boxes, £1,100. Nelson : 5,395 sluice toms and boxea, 286 hydrualic hose, 2 engines, 40 horse - power ; 14 machines, 135 stamps ; value, 87,500. Westland : 7 steam engines, 247 horsepower ; 8,642 siuice toms and boxes, 517 hydraulic hose ; value, £105,189. Otago: 13 steam engines, 134 horse-power ; 5,467 sluice toms and boxes, 84 woterwheels, 562 hydraulic hose, 23 machines, 209 stamps ; value, £106,770, The Chinese at Ballarat now flock to one of their barbers, who uses a patent horse-clipper on their locks, instead of the old fashioned scissors. Perhaps our fashionable hairdresser will take the hint, and give the clipper a trial. This is an age of progress. We have hair brushing by machinery; why cannot hair cutting and easy shaving be accomplished by the same means ? A shocking massacre by the Queensland blacks is reported io the Brisbane Telegraph, on July 31 : — "We are informed by Mr M'Devitt, M.L.A., that on the day he left Townsville a schooner arrived in port bringing the sad intelligence of the murder of a fishing party at Green Island. AMr Mercer and some others had gone to the island from Townsville, accompanied by two aboriginal blacks and a gin; and the captain of the schooner, which was employed in seeking for beche-de-mer in the same locality, found the whites of the party murdered in their camp, the deed having been evidently effected while they were asleep. The blacks were making off in a boat belonging to the party, when they were overtaken, but they immediately took (o the water, and made for the land, where they would doubtless lie perdu.