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37
Bye-Laws.—The new bye-laws respecting nuisances
received the final sanction of the Local Government Board
during the year, and are now, therefore, in force. The most
important changes are that they apply to the whole District,
instead of a portion only, and that the carting of offensive
manure is regulated. There is plenty of scope for the
enforcement of the latter.
The building bye-laws were returned from the central
authority, towards the end of the year, for amendment by the
Council in several respects.
The nuisances arising from the piggery businesses,
described in previous Annual Reports, were bitterly complained
of during the year, and I advised the Council to endeavour to
obtain a code of stringent bye-laws to regulate them. In May
a draft of suggested bye-laws was sent to the Local Government
Board, to ascertain whether anything of the kind would
be sanctioned, but no decision had been announced at the
close of the year.
The nuisance caused by gipsy encampments continues to
cause trouble, especially at Lonesome in Mitcham. Legal proceedings
are more or less futile, and the general practice here
is to keep these nomads on the move as constantly as possible.
This is carried out by the Inspector of Nuisances, with the
aid of the police, but it involves the consumption of an
enormous amount of valuable time, and bye-laws to deal with
the matter are under consideration.
Polluted Well.—Early in the year the Council took
proceedings under Sec. 70 of the Public Health Act to close
a polluted well at a private house in Merton. The necessary
order to close was granted by the magistrates, and water has
since been laid on from the public supply.