View report page

89
have been spending money, and are providing a large sum for the
ensuing half-year. We not only use the same process as Leyton.
but we pass our effluent over 170 acres afterwards. I am not so
sure that the Leyton effluent is so pure as to be fit to drink. We
are open to do anything in our power. We have not stinted for
money, and the scheme that we prepared, and for which we asked
the Local Government Board to sanction the borrowing of £16,000
but were refused, would have remedied the evil. They said the
County Council was the proper body to take our sewage. What we
think is this—our districts are taking the residents from London.
The County Council say that we are asking them to take something
which we ought not to, but still we are taking the people who clear
out of London. They come down to us in enormous numbers,
month by month. I notice again that the County Council are very
anxious to take the water from Essex, but refuse to do anything else.
They require all the sweets, but won't have any of the sours. These
two districts should be helped by the County Council, and I urge
that there should be only one authority to deal with this sewage
question. Every effort should be put forward by every district
represented there to urge the County Council, if they have not a
sewer big enough, to build a new one, and ask the bodies concerned
to help to pay for it.
Dr. Thresh, Medical Officer of Health for Essex, said: With
reference to Leyton, there are few better works in the country, and
the effluent has been exceedingly clear. I don't know any works
turning out water purer. But they would have to admit that at
some future time a scheme for taking the sewage all away would
have to be brought forward. I think there should be a joint scheme,
and Leyton should join, because they will have trouble by-and-bye.
If it were found possible for the London County Council to make a
fresh sewer, that would do away with the difficulty. If this conference
is the means of bringing about anything it will be a great
service.
Mr. Geary: We want to know the best way to deal with this
and I must certainly say we are wasting a great deal of time. We