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Removal of House Refuse—The Council has resolved to extend the
system of daily collection to the whole of the City. Dust is also
being removed earlier in the day. The following memorandum was
circulated among householders together with particulars as to kind of
receptacle most suitable:—
" The City Council having resolved to carry out the daily removal
of household refuse, it is desired to draw the attention of householders to
the considerations which have led the Council to adopt this procedure,
and to the benefits which are likely to accrue therefrom.
"It is well recognised that accumulation of refuse in the vicinity of
dwellings are detrimental to the health of the occupiers. This is particularly
the ease where the refuse is kept in small, confined backyards,
or close to the windows of living rooms, as in such situations it is not
only liable to give rise to obvious nuisance, such as offensive smells, but
to poison the air breathed by the occupiers, and to produce symptoms of
ill-health.
"Food, especially milk, readily becomes contaminated by air tainted
with the products of decomposition of refuse and with the dust arising
therefrom, and when taken may give rise to diarrhoea and sickness,
young children being peculiarly susceptible to these influences.
"Refuse not infrequently contains the germs of infectious disease,
and as it offers great attraction to flies, these germs and putrefying
matter can be conveyed by the flies into houses and on to foodstuffs.
"It will therefore be readily understood that the longer refuse is
kept upon the premises the greater its power for evil, and conversely it
may be anticipated that the benefits of a daily removal will be shown
by:-
"(1) Greater purity of the air in the vicinity of dwellings and
consequent improvement in the general health of the
occupiers.
"(2) Lessened risk of contamination of foodstuffs so that they will
keep good longer.