NUISANCES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1686, 15 May 1884, Page 2

NUISANCES.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—With reference to your remarks recently on the responsibility of the Borough Council as a Board of Health, I have been informed by Mr Kingdou that Dr Beard, the Borough Health Officer, states positively that the sickness in his family causing the loss of one of his children, was entirely due to blood-poisoning. This medical testimony, taken in conjunction with the fact that the owner of a small butcher's shop on the opposite corner to Mr Kingdon's is said to have been in the habit of slaughtering animals on his premises and burying the offal in his back yard for months pastj ,'tdo plainly shows that the Borough authorities have been guilty of grave carelessness to say the very least of it. Their absurd quibbling as to what is a nuisance in the various, creeks about the town, their palpable fear of crossing the will of one ratepayer while giving others peremptory notices, stamps the Council as wanting that backbone which might reasonably be expected from men like Messrs Lowes, Gapper, Heron and Perry. While the Council is haggling with Mr Eenall, and passing by-laws regulating chimney sweeps, laboriously elaborating a scheme for regulating the removal of nightsoil and rubbish, and issuing notices which are rarely attended to diseases arising from bloodpoisoning caused through foul nuisances existing in the heart of'the town aro spreading, and carrying death to homes in all parts of the borough. It is quite tiiuo the Council awoke to its responsibility, and insisted upon a rigid supervision of all premises, ami the immediate suppression of anything likely to become a nuisance wherever it exists. Tlib Council, while afraid of appearing arbitrary to burgesses, and giving notices which they make no efforts to see carried out because they are not quite sure the matters corr;plained of an nuisances, are encouraging the spread of diseare and death, apparently not being able to realiso (till the fact is forced upon them by sickness appearing in their own families) the old adage that it is better to be sure than sorry ; better to prevent the possibility of disease arising from foul creeks and unlawful practices of butchers and others, tlian (for fear of giving offence or making a mistake) to allow such things to continue till evils tliat can never bo remedied are inflicted upon the inhabitants of the Borough.—Yours, <k, Alas. •