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37
"Arrangements have since been made to receive the Tottenham
"effluent into these sewers throughout each year, but, notwithstand"ing
this, it appears that the evils complained of in 1886 still exist,
"being intensified to some extent by the growth of population in the
"Lea Valley ; but the main sources of pollution affecting the Hackney
"District are now the effluents from the sewage farm of Waltham"stow
and the sewage works of Ley ton. These two districts have
"an estimated population of 120,000 inhabitants, the whole of their
"sewage, after treatment, passing into the River Lea.
"An additional source of pollution below Hackney is the effluent
"from the West Ham sewage works.
"This condition of the river influenced your Public Health Com"mittee
to convene a conference of Members of Parliament, Members
"of the London and Essex County Councils, and of public bodies of
"districts along the banks of the River Lea to consider the steps to
"be taken to remedy the pollution of the said river, which was held
"at the Hackney Town Hall on 13th October, 1897, when it was
"resolved—
'That this Conference is of opinion that a full inquiry into the
'condition of the whole of the River Lea as to its source of
'impurities should be undertaken by the Government in con'tinuation
of the Report of the Select Committee of 1886 '
"Subsequently your Committee approached Mr. W. R. Bousfield,
"Q.C., M.P. for North Hackney, who arranged with Mr. Chaplin
"President of the Local Government Board, to receive a deputation
"on the subject, on Saturday, 10th June, 1898, with a view to asking
"the Government to favourably consider the question of introducing
"legislation for providing a main drainage scheme for the Lea Valley,
"as the only effective remedy for the existing nuisance—a statement
"of the deputation's views having previously been forwarded to Mr.
"Chaplin—he was, however, unable to receive the deputation,
"owingto Government business in the House of Commons.
"About this time the Lea Conservancy Board, doubtless having
"become aware of the activity displayed by Hackney in this matter,
"convened a conference of delegates from districts abutting on the