STRATFORD SANITATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 31, 12 January 1916, Page 3

STRATFORD SANITATION.

SPECIAL INVESTIGATION BY DEPARTMENTAL OFFICERS. HOUSE-TO-HOUSE INSPECTION. THE QUESTION OF PAYMENT. At the Stratford Hospital Board meeting yesterday, a letter was read from the district Health Officer, Wellington, stating that he had instructed an officer of his Department (Inspector Middleton) to make a special investigation'into the sanitary condition of the Borough, in: company with Inspector Gray (local officer;. The 'Chairman said it was, only fair to notify' the Department what the Board proposed to do in the matter. It was decided, to write to the Department stating that hi the event of a charge being made for an inspection the cost should be incurred by the local body, in this case, the Borough Council.

The Chairman said the house-to-house inspection by an officer of the Health Department, which was authorised at last meeting, was a big undertaking and was an expensive matter. To be of any use the inspection would have to be thorougTi. Members expressed the opinion that the inspection was the"' work of the Stratford Borough Council 1 , ; and ' it ought to pay the expense of the inspection. - The Mayor (Mr J. W. Boon) waited on.the Board on behalf of the" Council regarding the inspection,, of _ the Borough. | ,j l j .I-,! li'j ;' Mr»\Boon said he was asked to* attend the meeting and. ascertain what steps' the Board was'talcing in' the matter. Some time ago the Council decided to make an inspection' of the Borough, and it was found that many houses 'were sanitary but were not sanitary as complying with the bylaws. He said in his opinion the inspection would take about a .month or six weeks. Seeing that the onus would fall on the Board and the Borough, the Council thought it wise to confer with the Board. Over 50 per cent, of the premises in the Borough did not have sanitary arrangements- in accordance with the by-laws. The Inspector told him (the speaker) that the inspection was a very difficult matter, as residents would clean up their places when they knew the Inspector would be around. -He thought that the Council would be willing to pay half the cost of the amount of the inspection if it amounted to about £3O. Mr Smith said that the Council ought to pay two-thirds of the cost. Mr Boon said the Council may pay the whole cost, but at the' present time the Borough was unable to raise a loan for sanitary masters. Mr : Christbffel asked what use the by-laws were if they were not complied with.

Mr Boon said for years past when building operations or hiaking alteration's sr'anything touching the sanis iiaiy eonditjoijgsaf the* buildings were in progress. h«d to be obtained from the Council.... The trouble was with the old houses in the Borough. The Chairjmau asked what the Council did with Inspector Middleton's report. >Mr Boon! said it was no use the Council taking action in regard to the report, as it. was considering the inspection of the whole Borough, It had not been discussed by the Council. The Chairman said, that supposing the Board had not taken steps in regard to an inspection would the Council have done so? Mr Boon stated that the Council may not have taken steps. The inspector was only instructed to do so much; it was a very big job to.inspect the whole Borough. Mr Sole said «fi?Uw4>ly there were : a number of houses in the Borough not been visited by the Inspector. Evidently the Borough Inspector and Inspector o£ Nuisances were not doing.their woi^;., pi}d.,.the Board had to step in.

Mr Booii said personally he ta'as?right out for inspection. The whole thing should be put, in order,. : Mr "Smith said the inspection , would, have to be made and the r Baiwyh made sanitary, sooner or later, and they may as well do it at present.'JfoW? that there was an epidemic in Stratford the Council and the Board would; be held responsible for any deaths.

Mr. Boon said that the cause of-in-sanitation was in many cases due to the residents. Many thought that a straight-pipe leading from a basin was better than a lead trap, which had to be put in to comply with the by-laws. No matter how sanitary the arrangements in some places were, people would not keep them sanitary. Mr Sole said as the Board of Health they had a duty to perform, and if the Council voted three-quarters of the cost the Board would vote the remainder of the cost.

I Mr Boon said the Borough were practically powerless in some respects. . ~ .. I Mr Sole moved that a comprehen- ! sive,.inspection of the 'Borough be ■ authorised as long as the. Borough. (Council pay .75 per cent, of the cost.— Seconded by Mr Smith. j Mr Walter said if the Council had to pay 7o per cent, of the cost it should pay all. If the Comity wanted a house-to-house inspection to he made it would be liable, as the Borough should he. The Chairman said he favored 'the motion ; if it was carried out if would be a preventive measure. Every case cost money and the cost of the inspec-

tion would cost only a little more than one or two cases. It was not only the duty of the. but it would be a saving to the ratepayers. The Borough Council would see that the inspection was carried out in a sensible manner. Tlie motion was lost by four votes to three. , ....

I The Chairman thanked Mr Boon for attending the meeting.

i Mr Morison moved: That "an urgent request be sent to the Borough Council to proceed with the matter of an inspection of the Borough in view of Inspector Grey's report.—Seconded by Mr Walter and carried. j Mr Walter said that the attention of the Council ought to be drawn to the sanitary conditions of the Bor-

ough. • Mr Sole said the County Council's attention should be drawn to the matter, as five out of the six cases ol diphtheria reported were from the County.

The Chairman said that under the Public Works Act the Council was compelled to see to the sanitary conditions of the Borough.