Pukekohe's Scourge.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 400, 13 August 1918, Page 2

Pukekohe's Scourge.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I have been impatiently waiting for one of the so-called " heads " of this advanced Borough to make an attempt to do something to abate the scourge of diphtheria now rampant here. If an original line of procedure or independent thought was a necessity for an attempt " to do something " I would know my expectations from the source mentioned above could not eventuate, but after you, Sir, in your leading columns so lucidly explained the position on the publication of Mr C. K. Lawrie's timely letter of warning I did certainly expect the socalled " Heads " to take up their usual line by appropriating and exploiting the ideas of others. Even such action would have been better than sitting down in despair and allowing this scourge to continue its ravages week by week bringing suffering and death into many homes. Why have not the Public Schools been closed long ere this ? Is it true, as common rumour has it, that the Chairman allows himself to be overridden by the carpiag criticism of the most unprogressive member of *• the School Committee ? Surely Mr Perkins can understand if the Schools were closed the children would be practicailv isolated to their homes and consequently the source of the disease more easily located. In my opinion so long as the children are allowed to congregate about the Pull<c Schools so -he disease will contime to be an epidemic. There must be a considerable area of the land attached to the School that requires drastic and scientific treatment, but the disturbance of such areas should only be done in the absenco of tho childien. Not only is the position at the Public Sohools a menace to health but as is usual in such cases it brings injury and injustice to innocent educational institutions in its train. A case in point is the Pukekolie Convent' Schools. These schools have come in for no small share of tho adverse- criticism so rampant at the present time but if the Chairman and Committee of the Public School c-'tild show as clean a bill as the Health Department have issued to tin Convent S.ho..!s then they could pride themselves at least that the great trust they hold on behalf of tie public had been worthily protected. The report above referred to states : 'An inspection of tho Convent School that all the fittings, including water clouts, aro in sitiefactory condition. All the dunnage w propeily tripped »"■» The surr. Hidings of ih.i buildings iue verv clean and in a very satis-fa-to.y condi ion" Can the Chairman U the Pub!"' Schools sh .w a simi'ar rertifnatP. If r.»t, ihenn w ce.taifilvhisdutyto close and fumiK nt« the buildings and dwiufect the imme lit-surroundings. Furthermore if ,Ih Horough residents wish to < w. ipe epidemics of a similar kind to tho one now ,-xteting it is the flu""'I'" '» " n,,,M ' lutv to procure nuthnr.ty t«» pr-nwed nt ..nee with a «}sten of dramige.-I ft'i'i p tc , . „ CK II- KOAPLM. Puk«kolie, August 12* U. 1 !>'.«.