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34 ADMINISTRATION
Combined Drainage.—Orders under Sec. 74 of the Metropolis Management Act, 1855,
with respect to the following new systems were made :—
In 7919
Harrow Road, Nos 81 and 83
Pembridge Sq., No. 19 and
premises in rear there of
Westbourne Gardens, Nos. 2, 4 and 6
In 1920
Ash worth Road, Nos. 6 & 8
Gloucester Terrace, Nos. 187 & 189
Harrow Road, Nos. 489, 491 &493
Lanark Place, Nos. 3 & 4
Lancaster Gate, Nos. 5 & 6
Lancefield Street, Nos. 116 & 118
Porchester Road, Nos. 32 & 34
Westbourne Grove, Nos. 47 & 49
Defective systems of combined drains were discovered at—
In 1919
Caroline Place, Nos. 14, 15 & 16
Newlan Row, Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Oxford Mews, No. 14, and
premises in rear thereof
Westbourne Terrace Rd., No. 14
Warwick Crescent, Nos. 20 & 21
In 1920
Bishops Road, Nos. 26 & 28
Blomfield Mews, Nos. 18 & 19
Burwood Mews, No. 18
Burwood Place, No. 2
Church Street, Nos. 170, 172 & 174
Ranelagh Road, Nos. 1-17 (odd)
As no sanctions for the above systems could be traced they were reconstructed as "sewers"
by the Council.

Water Supply.—It is satisfactory to note the reduction in the numbers of notices of
discontinuance of supplies, 11 in 1919 and only 4 in 1920, as compared with an average of 29
per annum during 1914-18. As the act of cutting off the water from an inhabited house
renders such house unfit for human habitation under Sec. 48 of the Public Health (London)
Act, 1891, the practice is much to be deprecated. Of the 4 notices received during 1920
one only referred to an inhabited house (See also Table XXII., Appendix).
Mortuary.—The number of bodies deposited averaged 321 during 1914-18, whereas the
totals for 1919 and 1920 were 228 and 224 respectively. The proportion of bodies deposited
for inquests fell from 80.3 per cent, during 1914-18 to 74.2. While the number of P.M.
examinations made decreased, the proportion of such examinations to inquests increased from
48'4 per cent, during 1914-18 to 57.1 per cent, during 1919-20.
In 1919 an enquiry was made as to the number of private mortuaries maintained in the
Borough. Three firms of undertakers were found to have mortuaries within the Borough and
a fourth one in Kensington. Other firms admitted that bodies were kept on their premises
for a night or so, either in the shop or in a hearse. The majority of the firms use the Public
Mortuary. .
In the course of the enquiries it was ascertained that a yearly average of some 150 bodies
of still-born and unbaptised children were disposed of by undertakers.
Trade Nuisances.—Offensive Smells.—The complaints of effluvia from manure and
decaying refuse were more numerous in 1919 than the average for 1914-18, but decreased
in 1920. Manure is too valuable now to allow of neglect of its removal.