PAPAKURA'S MENACE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 598, 11 January 1921, Page 2

PAPAKURA'S MENACE.

Papakura residents will no doubt by this time have perused, with Interest, the letter received by the Papakura Town Board from the superintendent of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company (Mr W. J. Kirkman), in connection with the drainage from the casein factory, and which has been published in the “Times.” It is needless for us to traverse the whole of the facts of the case, which were clearly put forward in our last issue,, but wo cannot lot the opportunity pass

without briefly commenting on the subject. It appears that the nuisance has been in existence, on and oil, for the past seven years, and particularly the last three summers, when the casein factory commenced operations. Wc aie pleased to know that the Dairy Company realises that something should be done, but just how to act the authorities appear to bo uncertain. The superintendent has taken the first step in the right direction by suggesting the convening of a meeting of the

suppliers, to ascertain if they would adopt the idea. of defraying the cost of a tiled pipe drain from the creamery to the tide. He hit the nail on the head when he stated that “since the suppliers would have to finance- the scheme, they had a right to be heard on the matter.” Wc agree with Mr Kirkman, but would urge those interested, to see that the meeting of suppiers is held at the earliest possible date. Provided the dairymen agreed to underwrite the cost of the tiled drain, the scheme could bo put into

operation, but failing the suppliers’ acceptance thereof, Mr Kirkman ,[ was afraid the factory would have to be closed down, and this would create some inconvenience and loss to the suppliers interested.'* This is the point, in the first case, why should Mr Kirkman be afraid. Ho has nothing to io„e, but the residents of Papakura would »>pJ,y gain what is arc exposed to serious health risks, which quite outweight any i.tvon-

venienco which may be indictee! upon the suppliers to the casein factory. There is another casein factory not many .miles from Papakura, and if the Papakura dairymen insisted that milk from their cows should be converted into casein, the railway authorities would only be too pleased to carry the cans to and from BuckJand, or, on the other hand, to avoid much Joss, to carry the cream to Pukekohe, where it could be made in butter. The inconvenience ..miweil hv the residents of Papu-

Kura, and principally tuose who ’ reside near the stream Info v.hick the effluent from the factory i., groat, and as the Hummer advances, and the practice continued, the nuisance is intensely aggravated. The smell from the stream, caused by the eifluent from tlio factory, is, at at times, unbeatable. and from a health point of

view is absolutely insanitary. Referring to the expression “loss” used by Mr Kirkman, we fail to sec how the suppliers or the dairy company have much to lose, while the dis-; trict has a great deal to gain. For instance, if a malady as severe as the 1918 influenza epidemic cast its wings broadcast over the Papukura township and this hot-bod for the breeding of vermin still in existence, what would be Ihc result ? People perhaps would be visited by an epidemic for the sake of the expenditure of a few hundred pounds by the Dairy Company to construct a tiled drain to obviate the nuisance. The loss to the suppliers, if there would bo a loss, would not be as great as if one life was lost through the bad drainage. The Health authorities’ are aware of the position, and if Dr Hughes, the District Health Officer, is called on, no doubt he will take such measures as will terminate the nuisance once and for all .