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WASTE TOWN SECTIONS WITHIN PROCLAIMED LIMITS TO BE CLEARED.

Also, on all low-lying unoccupied town sections within the proclaimed limits, all long growth of shrubs, flax, raupo, rushes, tussock, or other rank vegetation, should be kept down—periodically cut down, and burnt or removed—so as to lay the ground open to sun and air, and prevent it from being a source of damp exhalation, and from being eligible for an impromptu depot for filth of any sort.

Such draining, covering, filling-up, or cleaning from vegetable growth to be at the expense of, or recoverable from, the landowner or his agent.

CONSIDERATIONS AS TO FILLING UP SURFACE WELLS IN THE CITY.

We have considered whether all surface wells within the proclaimed limits ought not to be filled up after the establishment of the water-works, and although we hesitate to recommend so stringent a law as applicable to all householders, yet we deem it a question deserving most serious consideration, whenever a Health Act shall be framed, whether all who cater for the public stomach (as for instance bakers, brewers, publicans, sodawater and lemonade manufacturers, &c.), should not be obliged by law to use water free from all suspicion of being possibly tainted by sewage matter, and we desire here to express our earnest hope that no householder will be so foolish or reckless as, for the sake of effecting such a small saving as his water-rate, to use water which can by any possibility be tainted with sewage matter, and contain the seeds of disease which may prove fatal not only to himself, but to his family and neighbours.

All existing properties should be altered, in accordance with the provisions of the Health Act contemplated in making these recommendations, and all now properties in like manner fitted with the appliances we have recommended for existing houses and town lots, and that under the inspection of an officer of the Board of Works, or of the Board of Health.

VENTILATION OF FLOORS OF HOUSES.

We farther recommend that, in such Health Act, clauses be inserted providing that all houses, which in future may be built or rebuilt within the proclaimed limits, should have their ground-floor a sufficient height above the crown of the street, and that provision should be made for free access of air underneath the house to prevent the evil consequences of rotting timbers and damp soil; and that all cellars be constructed with full provision for drainage, or if the levels do not admit of drainage, then that the cellar be constructed of brick laid in cement, so as to be waterproof, and safe from all drainage from the surrounding soil; also that in cases of neglect, the occupier of any house, the cellar of which may contain stagnant water, slyin be obliged to empty and clean such cellar, on receiving notice from the Inspector of Nuisances or Health Officer.

LIMITS.

Mention having been frequently made in this Report of proclamation of certain limits in the city within which the provisions of the contemplated Act shall be operative, we deem it well to suggest that these limits, in the first instance, might be:—From month of Maitai, following river to east side of Tasman-street; Tasman-street, Manuka, and Examiner-streets; the Waimea-road, including both sides, as far as Snow's Hill; also, Vanguard and St. Vincent-streets, both sides, as far as Parere-street; and Washington-valley, as far as Russell-street; and the Haven-road, as far as the old custom-house; to be altered or enlarged from time to time as found requisite.

But although we recommend the application of the provisions of the Act to be extended, in the first instance, to so small a part of the city, we hope that very many residents outside these limits, and in the country districts, will, of their own free-will see to adopt most of the sanitary provisions set forth in this Report.

MACHINERY.

In considering the machinery necessary for the effective carrying out of these recommendations, we have taken note of the plan of establishing a local Board of Health, with an Inspector of Nuisances under its orders. After full consideration of this and of other plans, we have however come to the conclusion that pending the expected establishment of a municipality, it will for the present suffice that his Honour the Superintendent appoint a duly qualified medical man as Health Officer, to advise the Government, and to co-operate with the Board of Works; and that full powers be conferred on the Inspector of Nuisances for the effective carrying out of all provisions of the Act. We lay great stress on this last recommendation. We suggest also that in the future Health Act, contemplated throughout this Report, special powers might be conferred on the Inspector, to be used only in great emergency, to be certified by the Health Officer.

We believe that, if water be amply supplied and universally used, and an Act embodying the sanitary provisions we have recommended be carried out by a diligent Board of Works aided by the advice of a competent medical man, by the vigilance and supervision of a good Inspector, and by the hearty co-operation of a public alive to the inestimable value of its own health, that Nelson may soon be made as healthy a town as any in her Majesty's dominions.

In order to show at one view the various recommendations made in this Report, we subjoin the following brief recapitulation:—

RECAPITULATION.

SOLID SEWAGE AND REFUSE.

We suggest that an Act be passed to render operative the following recommendations: We recommend that no solid sewage be allowed to be discharged by the sewers, and that all water-closets now discharging into the sewers already existing be abolished, compensation being made to the owners of them at the public expense.

That all existing cesspools and privy-pits be cleaned, filled up, and disused.

That a system of earth-closets be gradually introduced, every facility being afforded to the public in making this change by the establishing of a public scavenger, whose duty it is to empty the earth-closet boxes or pails, and to supply fresh earth, if needed, periodically, say once a week; such scavengery.

• For it has been brought before us in the course of this inquiry, that sometimes, even in the country, heaps of decaying, fermenting animal or vegetable matter, pools of slops, or stinking water, or plots of filth-saturated ground, exist close to the dwelling-house, the inmates of which are thereby living in the midst of danger, as great as that of the dwellers in the worst places in Nelson.