H.—3l

65

The water-supply is obtained from a reservoir on a hill high above the town, and is abundant and good. The nightsoil service is undertaken by the municipality, and the depot is sufficiently remote from habitations. House-drainage is into the street gutters for slops; but as these are continually being flushed out with water there is no nuisance. Hotels might be better than they are ; but they are improving. Butchers', bakers', &c, shops in good order. It was noticed that the river-bank running parallel to the main street was being used as a rubbishtip by all and sundry. This was required to be put an end to. Rartfurly. The beginning of a township, important only as being the connecting-place by coach to Naseby, and as the dining-place for the passengers by the Otago Central Railway. The hotel and a boardinghouse were looked to and found to be well kept. Two places had defective privies. Naseby. This township contains about 124 dwellings, which were examined and found generally in good order, only some ten defects having been noticed calling for attention. A sewer runs along the main street, along which practically the town is built, discharging into a tailings-channel, and for the rest two tail-races serve. As these are always full of water, they are well and thoroughly flushed. The water-supply is very good, being derived from a water-race high over the town. The nightsoil service is by contract under the municipality, the depot being in a safe place. House-slops are either disposed of in the sewers, or in the gardens belonging to the houses, which have plenty of space for the purpose, and the soil, being very loose, absorbs everything at once. Butchers', bakers', and provision shops : A good deal of improvement has been required to some of these and to the premises connected with them, which has been carried out. Several badly kept piggeries on the borders of the town, but in the county, were required to be cleansed and shifted. Clyde. A small township devoted to mining and fruit-growing, containing about thirty households, which were inspected, and a few small defects noted. There are no sewers, and this defect will have to be faced some day soon. There is no water-supply beyond roof tanks and the river which flows past the town. There is no nightsoil service, the gardens, which as a rule are fairly large —the houses being scattered —serving for its burial. House drainage and slops are also disposed of in the gardens among the loose gravelly soil. Butchers', bakers', and provisions shops are in good order. Ophir. There are about thirty households, all of which were inspected ; the impression on the mind of my Inspector, and on that of myself during one or two visits, when passing through, being that the inhabitants were allowing it to revert gradually to the wilderness from which it sprang, and that the new town on the opposite side of the river at the railway-station would in time supersede it altogether. The water-supply, for which a reservoir was provided to which water was raised by pumping, has now broken down, and the town is served by water from the creek flowing past, or by roof tanks. There is no nightsoil service, garden burial being the rule, and as each house has plenty of space this is perhaps sufficient. House-drainage (slops) is similarly treated. Butchers', bakers', &c, shops are well kept. Hotels are primitive, and at the time of inspection the back yards were in a neglected condition. Roxburgh. This town contains something like 130 households, in good order. This is a mining and fruit-growing township extending widely along a main road. It has no main or other sewtr. Its water-supply is good, from a reservoir on the hill behind the town and some height above it. No nightsoil service, garden burial being the rule, which, as ground is abundant and of loose nature, is sufficient and safe. House-slops are similarly disposed of. Butchers', bakers', and provision shops are very well kept. Hotels are good, one being new and one of the best and most comfortable in my district, and their back premises are clean and well kept. Riverton. This town contains about 260 households, which were inspected. It is practically divided into two towns by the river. One of these, with about eight-five dwellings, on the south side of the river, consists almost entirely of comparatively new buildings, which'with only a few exceptions were found in good condition. The other, on the north side, which is partly an old whaling settlement, has a 9—H. 31.