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41
On comparing the evidence of the above report of 1886 with
some recent evidence obtained by the London County Council of the
methods adopted for the disposal of sewage in the Lea Valley, it will
be seen that the present state, although slightly improved upon that
of 1886, remains practically the same—any improvements in methods
being more than counteracted by the great increase of population
which has taken place since that date; so that, coming back to
Hackney, we may say that practically the circumstances of the river
in Hackney represent a condition applicable to nearly the whole
river. Such being the case, it is desirable that in seeking for a
remedy we should choose one which, relieving Hackney, would at
the same time afford relief to any other districts in the Lea Valley
suffering from the same evils. This remedy is to be found in a main
drainage scheme for the Lea Valley—a scheme outlined in the report
of the Select Committee of 1886. If necessary then, how much
more so now ?
It is with the object of bringing about such a remedy that the
Hackney Local Authority invited representatives from districts
affected by the condition of the Lea to the above Conference, whose
deliberations resulted in the resolution quoted before. It is evident
that if the Committee of 1886 could be re-appointed in 1898, the
evidence of the former would be much strengthened by evidence now
available, and the main recommendation of 1886 of a Lea Valley
drainage scheme would be put forward with so much more force as
to overcome all opposition against it.
The proceedings of this Conference I give in an appendix.
STABLE REFUSE.
By an order of the Vestry, it is provided that stable refuse shall
be removed from all stables in the district at least twice a week;
and much has been done to enforce this order. But there are certain
difficulties in the way of providing an efficient remedy against
nuisance from stable refuse.
It is not often that much nuisance is caused by a small accumulation
of ordinary stable manure; but if the accumulation is a large