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64
The necessity for this deputation to the President of the Local
Government Board has since that time become less pressing ; for
during the agitation on the part of the Hackney Vestry and probably
in consequence of it, a similar movement was on foot amongst the
local authorities of the northern part of the Lea Valley on the subject
of the pollution of the River Lea. A conference of these authorities
met at the Offices of the Lea Conservancy Board on the 4th, of
August last year when the idea of a Lea Valley scheme was approved
of by those present. On the 6th October another meeting was held,
when instructions were given to Mr. Chatterton and Major Lamarock
Flower to prepare a scheme with plans, etc., for the drainage of the
Lea Valley. This has since been done and it only remains for
sufficient influence to induce the Local Government Board to approve
of the scheme and issue a provisional order for its execution.
REMOVAL OF HOUSE REFUSE.
During the year 1898 there were removed 53,283 loads of
house refuse from the Hackney District, for which the sum of
£13,642 13s. 8d. was paid to the contractors, and the sum of
£2,309 12s. 8d. as wages to the dustmen employed by the Vestry,
making a total cost of £15,952 6s. 4d. for the removal and disposal
of house refuse for the year. The price per load works out at
5s. 11¾d. The above totals show an increased removal of 2,545
loads, and an increased expenditure of £756 18s. 5d. to the Parish
over the numbers for the previous year.
I remarked in my last year's report that the system of paying
by measurement, i.e., by loads is not a satisfactory one for the Vestry.
Since that date, I have had the loads weighed at various times and I
find that their weights vary immensely, at different times some have
weighed less than 10 cwt; others more than a ton, the average being
from 15 to 16 cwts.