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The large reduction in the number of applications in 1892 was no doubt due to the making of
new by-laws, with which the licensees were unable or unwilling to comply. In 1897 I presented to the
Public Health Committee a report suggesting a scheme for the provision of public slaughterhouses
in substitution for private slaughterhouses, so as to give opportunity for the inspection of meat.
It is perfectly obvious that so long as animals are killed in numerous private slaughterhouses,
there can be no inspection at the time of slaughter, the only time when inspection can be
effectual, nor indeed can London claim special facilities for the inspection of dead meat coming into
London from other parts of the country and which is not taken in the first instance to the markets of
the City Corporation. For years large quantities of meat unfit for human food were sold in Holborn,
in the neighbourhood the City Corporation's market. Had such meat been taken into the Corporation's
market it would have been unhesitatingly condemned. The action of the Holborn District
Board in appointing a special meat inspector has done much to prevent in Holborn the continued
existence of this dangerous-meat market, but no system exists to prevent meat of this unwholesome
and dangerous quality being introduced into London and conveyed to the premises of those who trade
in it. There is urgent necessity for the institution of an administrative system which shall serve to
protect the poor, who especially are the purchasers of cheap meat. London should be in a position to
claim that all dead meat coming into the Administrative County, which has not been killed in
public slaughterhouses under the inspection of other municipal authorities, and which does not pass
through the Corporation's market, shall be made subject to special inspection. So long, however,
as the continuance of a system is permitted which allows meat killed in London to be exempt from
inspection at the time of slaughter no such claim as that I have indicated can be made, and the
London population, especially the poorer portion, will continue to receive meat unfit for human food.
Unregistered offensive businesses.
During the year the Council's attention was directed by the London School Board to nuisance
experienced in that part of Wandsworth in which are situated the Garrett-lane and Merton-road Board
schools. Careful inquiry was made into this matter by the Council's inspector, and a copy of the
letter from the London School Board was forwarded to the Wandsworth Board of Works. Some of
the offensive trade premises in these localities have been the cause of complaint from time to time
for some years past, and such action as it has been possible to take has been taken by the Council in
respect of breaches of the by-laws regulating the trades in question.
In several instances question was raised as to whether certain trades carried on in different
parts of London were not offensive businesses within the meaning of section 19 of the Public Health
(London) Act. Thus, in Deptford complaint was made of nuisance from offal brought from the
Foreign Cattle Market to premises in the neighbourhood; it did not appear, however, that there was
infringement of section 19 of the Act, but that the remedy lay in enforcement of the by-laws relating
to the removal of offensive matter through London. In Hackney complaint was made regarding the
business of a fish-skin dresser, a business which is no doubt ejusdem generis with the businesses which
are offensive businesses within the meaning of the Act, but which has not hitherto been declared an
offensive business. In the event of difficulty being experienced in preventing nuisance from this
trade, it might become necessary to seek for special powers to regulate the conduct of this business.
Up to the present time no sufficient reason for taking such action has been, however, forthcoming.
In Bethnal-green the attention of the Council's inspector was directed to two or three establishments
in which the business of a whalebone cutter was carried on. This business is clearly not the business
of a bone-boiler, whalebone having, of course, nothing to do with the whale's bones, but being derived
from the horny plates which are developed in the whale's mouth. It appeared that the business
process carried on at the premises in Bethnal-green consisted in boiling the whalebone to render it
soft, then cutting it into strips, and scraping, drying and polishing these for the purposes of ladies'
corsets. If this business were found to be productive of nuisance, the sanitary authority could deal
with it under section 21 of the Public Health (London) Act; or if it were thought desirable, the
Council could ask the Local Government Board to make an order declaring the business an offensive
business.
Complaints to the London County Council.
During 1897, the Council received 1,221 applications for assistance in securing the removal of
insanitary conditions. In cases in which representation had not already been made to the sanitary
authority the applicants were advised to make such representation. In other cases the sanitary
authorities were communicated with. In all cases the matter was kept under observation until the
conditions complained of were remedied. In connection with these applications 1,471 inspections were
made by the Council's inspector.
Nuisances.
Trade nuisances.
Marine stores.—The medical officer of health of Kensington states that at his instance the
Vestry of Kensington in 1883 made applications to the Metropolitan Board of Works and in 1896
made applications to the County Council to schedule this business as an offensive business. These
applications were unsuccessful. The medical officer of health of the Strand district states that he
investigated a complaint that dripping was sold from marine stores, but found that the practice had
been discontinued in that district.
Brick-burning.—The only reference to brick-burning is found in the report of the medical
officer of health of Kensington, who states that during the last three years, since the successful
proceedings taken by the vestry, no complaint has been made by parishioners of nuisance arising in
the conduct of the business of a brickmaker.