59

H.—Bl

Special reports as follows : Licensed public halls, Christchurch ; licensed and private boardinghouses, Christchurch ; fish supply and shops, Christchurch ; Barbadoes St. Cemetery, Christchurch ; drainage, nightsoil and rubbish removal, Oamaru ; drainage, Lyttelton ; drainage, Temuka. M. Kershaw, Sanitary Inspector. Dr. Finch, District Health Officer. I herewith submit my report and summary of inspections of the past year. General inspections have been carried out in the following country townships : Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Oxford, Springfield, Whitecliffs, Southbridge, Leeston, Little River, Geraldine, Ashburton, and Temuka. Several of the above have also been revisited on account of small outbreaks of infectious disease, or following up requisitions previously served. A good deal of my time has also been spent in inspecting and disinfecting in consumptive cases. All cases notified from the Nurss Maude Camps have been disinfected, and in the case of the family leaving the house disinfection has carried out before the premises were relet. Nightsoil-depots have been inspected at Waimate, Temuka, and New Brighton. A number of shops and offices have been visited, and in several eases improvements in the sanitary accommodation have bsen effected. Bakehouses that were found out of repair or in a dirty condition were referred to the Factory Inspectors. Inspections of the offensive trades at Woolston were made, and the condition were found generally satisfactory. Several overcrowding cases have also been investigated, and remedied through the local authority. A large number of minor complaints have been investigated, and where sustained owners or occupiers have been interviewed and nuisances at once abated; in only a few cases were formal requisitions required. In only two of these cases were the requisitions quite ignored, and in those two prosecutions were successful and the offenders were fined. Summary of Inspections. Infectious diseases, including consumption, 120 ; infectious diseases, country outbreaks, 3 ; disinfections, 46 ; complaints investigated, 57 , shops and offices inspected, 36 ; hotels inspected, 20 ; country townships, 24; old buildings inspected, 13 ; offensive trades inspected, 15; fish-shops inspected, 13 ; boardinghouses inspected, 7 ; overcrowding cases inspected, 4 ; consumption cases inspected, 89 , consumption cases disinfected, 40; requisitions served, 21 ; requisitions complied with, 21 ; prosecutions, 2. R. J. McKenzie, Sanitary Inspector. OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND DISTRICT. Department of Public Health, Dunedin, 30th May, 1906. The Chief Health Officer, Wellington. I have the honour to present you my annual report on my District of Otago-Southland for the year ended the 31st March, 1906. During this year I have no startling events to record, as fortunately we have had no dangerous epidemics to combat, our work having been of a routine character, which, however, shows that the public health is now being gradually better and better attended to. It may be of interest to show the number of localities visited and inspected during the twelve months by myself and my two inspectors : By Dr. Ogston —Alexandra South, Arrowtown, Bendigo, Brighton, Clinton, Clyde, Cromwell, Fairfax, Glade House (Te Anau), Gore, Invercargill, Kaitangata, Kelso, Key of Lakes, Lawrence. Lumsden, Manapouri, Mataura, Middlemarch, Milford. Milton. Mossburn, Mount Pisa, Naseby, Otautau, Pembroke, Port Chalmers, Pukerau, Queenstown, Queensbury, Ranfurly, Riverton, Rock and Pillar, Roxburgh, Sawyer's Bay, Te Anau Township, Waihola, Arthur's Point, Henley. By Inspector Gladstone —Alexandra South, Allantown, Arrowtown, Balclutha, Bendigo, Catlin's, Clyde, Cromwell, Burkes, Evansdale, Fairfax, Glenorchy, Goodwood, Heriot, Highcliff, Kaitangata, Lawrence, Manuka Creek, Milton Mosgiel, Mount Stewart, Kelso, Naseby, Ophir, Owaka, Palmerston South, Paradise Flat, Pembroke, Port Chalmers, Portobello, Puketeraki, Purakanui, Queenstown, Ravensbourne, Roxburgh, Shag Point, Sawyer's Bay, Tapanui, Waihola, Waikouaiti, Waipahi, Waitati, Broad Bay, Arthur's Point, Ranfurly, Hawea Flat, Quarantine Island, Pukerau. By Inspector Cameron —Balfour, Bluff, Colac, Drummond, Edendale, Gore, Isla Bank, Kamahi, Kapuka, Kennington. Lumsden, Mataura, Myross Bush, Nightcaps, Orepuki, Otautau, Pukerau, Riversdale, Riverton, Seaward Bush. Scott's Gap, Spar Bush, Thornbury, Waikiwi, Waimatua, West Plains, Winton, Woodlands, Wyndham, Seaward Downs, Wallacetown, Waianiwa, Waicola, Clifton, Richmond Grove, Otapiri. These places —of which it may be observed Dr. Ogston visited 39, Inspector Gladstone 48, and Inspector Cameron 36—were inspected more than once in several instances, Dr. Ogston making 50 inspections, Inspector Gladstone 92 inspections, and Inspector Cameron 116. But, as some of the places were visited by Dr. Ogston in conjunction with one or other of his Inspectors, it may be noted that in all 97 different places received attention during the past year.