DISEASE GERMS AND DUST

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 756, 31 August 1929, Page 1

DISEASE GERMS AND DUST

Lands Office to be Fumigated MUCH SICKNESS AMONG STAFF AN unusually large amount of sickness, three cases of which have ended fatally, is the cause of some apprehension on the part of the staff of the Lands and Survey Office at Auckland. The services of the Health Department were called in and as a result that portion of the Government Buildings, situated at the corner of Albert and Customs Street, used by the Lands and Survey Department will be thoroughly cleaned and fumigated.

That apprehension exists, particularly among the younger members of the staff, is fairly common knowledge in civil service circles. It is jaili that most of the staff afflicted were young men and many of them, ijefore taking ill, were strong active young men who engaged In various forms of healthy sport.

Fears were expressed that the aaps which the staff continually has to handle In the dally work were largely responsible. From time to time some of them are sent to the native land courts where they are dandled and pored over by native litigants in the process of the court before being returned to the office (lies at the Lands and Survey Office. Other files and maps not frequently taed have, it is said, accumulated the dust and dirt of many years. All Of which, it is claimed, has not been ronducive to the best interests of the jiealth of the staff. It has been stated that approximately nine members of the staff have had to go on sick leave during the past 12 months, and some Will not be returning. A Sun representative, who called upon Mr. K. M. Graham, Commis?ioner for the South Auckland Lands District, was very courteously revived. Mr. Graham said that it was rue that some apprehension had been 'elt by the staff, a number of them ladling on him in reference to the luestion.

NO CAUSE FOR ALARM Personally he considered that the Incidence of sickness was such that recurred from time to time in many ifflces where big staffs were emiloyed, and not attributable to the renditions under which the staff rorked. Some of the cases of sickress would have occurred wherever he men had worked. In at least me of the tubercular cases, where leath had followed, the disease obvl-

ously could not have been contracted in the office, and the result was undoubtedly inevitable.

He did not think there was any cause for alarm and that, in the way of things, the office might enter into a long period in which sickness among the staff would be comparatively rare. Naturally, with such sickness known to exist in the office, precautions to safeguard the health of the staff were taken, and it was for this reason that the Health Department was consulted, explained the commissioner. He said that it had been decided to give the rooms a thorough cleaning by a vacuum process and fumigate all the maps as a precautionary measure. The commissioner also took The Sun man on a tour of inspection to show that the actual working conditions, in regard to sunlight and fresh air. were all that could be desired. This the inspection proved to be correct, but it was also apparent that complaints in regard to the dust menace were not without foundation, many of the maps and old records being heavily coated with dust. One of the complaints is that members of the staff have frequently been afflicted with sore throats after handling these maps. CLEANING RECOMMENDED Dr. John Boyd, of the Department of Health, said Inspector B. A. Franklin visited the Lands and Survey Offices at the request of the officials there. It had been suggested that fumigation was required, but the inspector found it necessary to recommend a thorough vacuum cleaning and dusting. Heavy accumulations the dust of years—were discovered. As a result of the inspector’s report the offices will be treated with vacuum machines and thoroughly “spring-cleaned,” after which they will be fumigated.