IS THE TOWN CLEAN?

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1922, Page 4

IS THE TOWN CLEAN?

CRITICISM BY LOCAL DOCTOR. REMARKS BY THE MAYOR In conversation with the Mayor of New Plymouth (Mr. F. H. Wilson) yesterday, a representative of the Daily News drew his attention to the remarks of Dr. Thompson during his lecture at the Community Club on Wednesday night. Dr. Thompson was reported to have said that New Plymouth was freely boasted of as a clean town, but he thought that this was correct only at times and those were the periods directly after heavy rains. He also commented adversely on the Mangatuku stream, which, he said, was bound to collect a great deal of rubbish and sewage, and in his opinion, was a potential source of infection.

Mr. Wilson stated the Borough Council was fully alive to the dangers of the Mangatuku and was doing its best to ensure the free flow of the water by compelling property owners on its bank to cut willows or any other object likely to impede its flow. The time must certainly come, however, when the stream must be diverted, but it would be a costly business and was out of the question at the moment. Regarding the general cleanliness of the borough, 'he was of opinion that New Plymouth would compare very favorably with any town of a like size in the Dominion.

The reporter also mentioned the matter to the Department of Health’s inspector (Mr. Swindells), who said that, while iio doubt there was room for improvement in all the towns in New Zealand, he also was of opinion New Plymouth would hold its own by comparison. Concerning the Mangatuku and the possibilities of infection, he said that during the past twelve months there were very few cases of infectious diseases among the residents living on the blinks of the stream or contiguous thereto.