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TARANAKI GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.

GENERAL INSTRUCTION.

As the necessary cleansing is likely to be disagreeable to many, it is especially desirable in endeavouring to obtain it to use persuasion rather than compulsion. While the measures required should be insisted upon with firmness, no opportunity should be lost of explaining to the ignorant that they are necessary for health and safety. Allusion to the mortality in the last epidemic may probably be useful to promote a ready obedience. Resort to the Magistrate’s Court may possibly be in no case necessary; but if examples are to be made, offenders of the highest position should be in the first place selected, as being those whose shortcomings would be the least excusable. A tendency to allow immunity to one class, while another, and that the least culpable, is punished, while always highly unjust, would if indulged in the present instance, be additionally objectionable, as likely to weaken, if not prevent, general co-operation for the attainment of the object desired.

G. W. DES VEUX,
Administrator of the Government.

Mr. Simon to the Secretary of State, Colonial Office.

Local Government Board,
(Medical Department),
Whitehall, S.W., 16th January, 1872.

Sir,—I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th ultimo, enclosing a copy of a Despatch from the Governor of St. Lucia, covering a copy of a communication received from the Administrator of that Island, together with a copy of instructions issued by him to Inspector of Nuisances; and in compliance with the request contained in the latter paragraph of the letter I would observe—

1. That the instructions appear to relate only to cases where a nuisance actually exists, and not to cases where means of prevention against nuisance (such as drains to carry off slop water, proper arrangements for the disposal of excrement) are requisite. It would seem desirable that the inspection should include both sorts of cases. [Although such a principle is only but little admitted in the Sanitary Law of England, it would seem very desirable that, without notice from an Inspector, it should be an offence punishable by fine to have a nuisance on one’s premises.]

2. The filling up of stagnant water with earth is not likely to reduce materially the mischief to health which such water may be causing, to provide against which an improvement in the drainage would seem to be needful.

3. There is no reference in the instructions to any local authority ordinarily charged with seeing to the sanitary condition of the villages. It may, in the circumstances of the Colony, be impossible to provide such an authority; but the want of it will be much felt in reference to sufficiency of the means adopted to carry out the Inspector’s notices as to foul privies and cesspools. Instead of the words “cleanse, or at least disinfect with chloride of lime or carbolic acid,” in paragraph 2, I should advise “cleanse or empty, with the use of proper disinfectants, such as chloride of lime or carbolic acid.”

4. Drinking water should (as was suggested by a pencil note, not accidentally erased,) be protected against pollution by any filth or refuse, and not only against contamination by human excrement.—I am, &c.,

JOHN SIMON.

The Under Secretary of State,
Colonial Office.

Printed under the authority of the Government of the Province of Taranaki, by W. H. J. SEFFERN, of Devon-street, New Plymouth, Printer to the Provincial Government for the time being.