NO SANITATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1922, Page 4

NO SANITATION.

COTTAGES AT NGAMOTU BEACH. BAD CONDITIONS REVEALED. INSPECTION OF THE LOCALITY. In these days it is almost inconceivable that a group of houses, especial]v in a town of the size of New Plymouth, should be destitute of practically all sanitary conveniences. Yet these things exist at the beach cottages at Ngamotu, where the conditions are a menace to the public health. Urgent action is necessary, as a report presented at Monday’s meeting of the Borough Council by the inspector (Mr. R. Day) showed.

A visit was paid to the neighborhood yesterday by a Daily reporter, who found that the 'bad conditions revealed in the inspector’s report had been in no way exaggerated, but that the re-

port was a true, unadorned statement of facts. There are about fifty cottages the beach and with perhaps two exceptions all are inhabited at the present time, and not by holidaymakers, for whose use the cottages were erected originally, but, for all intents and purposes, by permanent residents. On inspecting these places one is immediately confronted with the fact that there is no drainage system of any description. Thus water is left lying around and, owing to the nature of the ground and there being no elope, the water collects. One place visited was situated near an exceptionally swampy piece of ground. Two ditcher had been dug out, presumably for the purpose of carrying away the surplus water, but. the ditches are overgrown and the water in them is stagnant. This instance is typical of others, some better, some worse, but all badly in need of improvement. Then there is the question of disposing of rubbish. Practically every house can boast of half a dozen kerosene tins, thrown promiscously around the neighborhood, whilst the refuse in some of the backyards is a revelation. Ashpans have been emptied, potato peelings and pot scrapings thrown out, all wiuiin a few yards of the back door. Most of the yards have a bare patch as evidence of where refuse has been buried in the sandy soil while, as if to tone over the effect of this, pumpkin seeds have in some cases been planted, on the sites of old rubbish heaps and provide the only redeeming feature in the landscape of the backyard. There is no service provided for the removal of refuse, so householders an* probably doing the only thing possible in ths circumstances —burying it. But undoubtedly the immediate surroundings of some of these places oukl be made much tidier and more presentable than they are at present. In some case.< evidences of this are not lacking, and a few residents have made obvious efforts to brighten and clean up their environs.

It is obvious that the authority responsible for the control of these houses must take immediate action. During the approaching winter months conditions will be a little more bearable, but with the advent of another summer such conditions as at present exist arc a positive menace'to the public health. Naturally under such conditions flies, with their attendant evils, are prevalent. ' As if a further breeding place were required for these vermin there is a building for the tempotery stabling of race-horses next to the end of the row of cottages. Here yesterday flies in their hundreds were to be seen buzzing about, soon, no doubt, to turn their attention to household food