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92
In 32 cases the Health Committee gave directions for steps
to be taken against various builders to enforce the deposit of
plans of drainage works executed by them, but in no case was it
found necessary to take legal action.
In 42 cases work to drains and sanitary fittings was found
to have been carried out without notice having first been given
or plans submitted to the Council in accordance with the requirements
of the drainage and other by-laws.
These cases were reported to the Health Committee, who in
the circumstances reported to them ordered the offenders to be
cautioned except in four cases where legal proceedings (the result
of which is shown on pages 82, 83 and 85) were instituted.
During the year drains were tested by smoke on 188 occasions
and 65 cases were found defective. The water test was applied on
1,446 occasions, this being mainly applied to drains in course of
construction or reconstruction. Soil pipes and drains were ventilated
in 174 instances.
Water closets were provided in 56 cases and existing closets
repaired in 836 cases.
The total number of drains relaid during the year was 67.
Those cleansed and repaired numbered 352.
Public Cleansing.
I am indebted to the Borough Surveyor for the information
on this subject which is summarised below.
The collection of house and trade refuse is carried out weekly,
except in the case of blocks of dwellings, hospitals, schools, &c.,
where the collection is done more frequently. Since the
closing in 1935 of the Council's destructor, the refuse is wholly
disposed of by barging to suitable "tips" outside London. The
removal is carried out under contract which imposes stringent
conditions for the avoidance of nuisance.
The horse-drawn vehicles used for collection are gradually
being replaced by the latest type of mechanically propelled
vehicle, and the "Container" system has been introduced.
By this system, the refuse at public institutions, housing
estates, blocks of flats, &c., is deposited into containers of 1½ yard
capacity, and such containers with the refuse are collected daily,
and clean containers left for the next day's collection. The used
containers, after being emptied, are washed at the wharf.
For street cleansing the beat system is in operation. A
number of roads are allocated to each sweeper, and he is responsible
for the cleansing of such roads. Orderly barrows, with four bins
each, which when full are taken to a street receptacle and replaced
by empty bins, are provided. The refuse is collected by motor
vehicles, augmented as occasion requires by horse vans.