THE Pukekohe & Waiuku Times PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 1916 PUKEKOHE'S NIGHT-SOIL SYSTEM.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 159, 28 March 1916, Page 2

THE Pukekohe & Waiuku Times PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS.

TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 1916 PUKEKOHE'S NIGHT-SOIL SYSTEM.

"We nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice,"

The institution of a night-soil system for Pukekohe was announced in our last issue. Tlie process is the old " lloat'! system, not the more modem sealed pan system. The advantages of the lloat system are that it is cheap to instal and that it involves no capital ex pense on the part of the ratepayer and little on the part of the contractor. Its disadvantages, as compared with the more modern system of air-tight sealed-pans, are too olivious to necessitate mention. It is a system favoured chieily by those 1 who have had no experience of it. Those who have gained knowledge seem to be impressed only by its defects. The system installed will to some extent mitigate the acuteness of our sanitary problem ; it is easy to terminate without loss when oppoitunity offers to put in a better system or a drainage systemand it is at present slightly cheaper (on an average) than drainage would be, whilst the only tender the Council has ever received for the sealed-pau system was Is od pei' week—considerably dearer than drainage. The institution of this system may therefore bo looked upon as a forward move. But it is at best but a small move forward, giving consolation chiefly to those unfortunate ones who are in the habit of comparing Pukekohe to (he most backward place they can thiuk of, and who are entirely satisfied so loug as there is to be found elsewhere a single nlace which can dispute with Puko- ' kohe the houour of being the most backward place of all. The modern uigbt-soil system would doubtless take longer to instal; it would involve a slight expense in the beginning ; it might possibly bedaarer to run it, though this should not necessarily be the case. In default of drainage, therefore, it is to be hoped that the borough will determine to i ut in the modem system a>> soon as the present contract runs out But when all is said, nothing can rival a drainage system, either on die ground of efficiency, or, in the long run, 011 the ground of economy. li.'is gicatly to be feared that our ratepayers do nut realise the tinancial aspect 14 the matter. If they do, their attitude is Under the night-soil system, .(be toe is independent of valuations. The wealthy pays the same as the poor ore. Ji' his section is vacant be pays nothing. Under the

escapes with a burden propoi tionute to liia valuation, and the wealthy one pajs a price proportionate to his valuation, and also pays for his vacant section. Now, under the proposals lately submitted by the borough, a £7oo property would pay the same pi ice for drainage as it will now have to pay for a night-soil system for one pan. All properties of less Government value will pay less for drainage thau for night-soil. Such smaller prjperties are, of course, the more numerous by far. The pan system is especially burdensome in cases where, owing to the Factory Act or other cause, one building requires moie than one pan. It is uufoituuate that such owners, being in the majority, do not recognise that drainage is both better and cheaper for them, and that in forcing the Council to adopt a night-soil system they have compelled the Council to place a burden upon their backs, which ought in justice to be shared by their richer neighbours and by the owners of vacant land, aud which would be so shared under a drainage system. We hope such ratepayers long before the two years of the present contract expire, will realise the iinancial advantages as well as the other advantages of a drainage system, aud see that it is installed.