The Evening Mail. MONDAY, MAY 15, 1876.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 20, 15 May 1876, Page 2

The Evening Mail. MONDAY, MAY 15, 1876.

It is not our tuieiitioti in the few remarks we ;ue about to make, to appear in the capacity of alarm ists ; but it is just as well to bring innkr the notice of our Municipal legislators the desirability of taking immediate action to prevent the ravages of typhoid fever in the town. Of course we shall be told that the Council has taken prompt action, and only at its last sitting the subject of a Local Board of Health was brought forward. Well, we are prepared to r.dmit that the subject was discussed, but the pction taken in the matter was dilatory in the extreme. Looking at our report of the last meeting we find that his Worship the Mayor suggested "the desirability of having the Council proclaimed a Local Board of Health under the Act. A Select Committee was appointed to report upon the matter at the next meeting of the Council.'' Now, what we have to complain of is, that a Select Committee wa-f appointed to report on the matter. This is simply a waste of time, as no report is necessary. If the Council are agreed that a Local Board of Health is require for this town, all that our City Fathers have to do is to signify to the Superintendent that such a Board is necessary, and then send in their names, when they will at once be gazetted as a Board of Health. - There is not the slightest necessity for a report from a Select Committee, and even if there were there can be but little doubt but that the Committee would recommend a Board of Health at once. When this Board is formed it is to lie hoped that one of our local medical men will lie appointed, instead cf advertising in the papers for applications from different parts of the Colony. At any rate, if the medical man is to be advertised for, we trust the salary will lie something tuider £I,OOO a year. We migltt point out that the Health officer in Dunediu receives £l5O per annum for his services, and most faithfully they are performed. We shall look forward anxiously for the Select Committee's report, which wil.l, as we have pointed out, be quite unnecessary for the formation of a Local Board of Health ; but still it might contain a few valuable suggestions. But nous verons.