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109
Legal Proceedings.—In 29 cases proceedings were instituted : in four instances for offences
under the by-laws for registered houses, the fines amounting to £10. The other cases were as
follows:—For failure to periodically remove manure in two cases, the fines amounting to £2 10s.;
in two cases for failing to comply with the magistrates' orders, fines amounting to £6 being
inflicted ; in fifteen cases for non-compliance with the Council's notices, fines to the amount of £29
being inflicted; in two cases for removing offensive matter during prohibited hours, the fines
amounting to £8 ; and in three cases for carrying out alterations to soilpipes without giving due
notice, a fine of 40s. being inflicted in one case. The fines in all amounted to £57 10s.
Neglect to carry out the requirements of notices, issued by order of the Public Health
Committee, within the specified time, is still somewhat common, the result being waste of the time
of the inspectors in fruitless visits to premises. In every such case, at any rate in every case when
the work has not been put in hand at a date when it should have been completed, application for
the fine "not exceeding ten pounds" prescribed by section 4 (4) of the Public Health Act should
be made. Failure to comply with the requirements of notices, besides leading to waste of officers'
time, is also disrespectlul to the sanitary authority and merits punishment.
OFFENSIVE BUSINESSES.
The County Council forwarded to the Council in 1901, lists of slaughter-houses, and
of dairies, milkshops, cow-houses, etc., and also copies of the by-laws and regulations in force with
respect to these establishments, which, under the Local Government Act, 1899, it is the duty of
the Council to enforce. The said by-laws, etc., were referred to me, with instructions to see that
the requirements were complied with, and to report any infringement thereof; this has been done.
The only business coming under the statutory description " offensive," other than that of
a slaughterer of cattle, carried on in the borough, is that of a Fat Extractor, at Tobin Street, in
the Potteries, Notting Dale. The conduct of this business still gives rise to effluvium nuisance,
despite improved arrangements, care on the part of the proprietor, and supervision by the Council's
inspector, as well as by the inspector of the County Council. The improvements carried out
consequent on proceedings instituted by the County Council in 1899, included the provision of a
scour or condensing apparatus, and elevation of the chimney shaft. Complaints have been less
frequent since these works were completed; but the locality is obviously unfit for the carrying on
of so offensive a business.
LICENSED SLAUGHTER-HOUSES.
Twelve slaughter-houses were licensed by the County Council in October—six in North
Kensington and six in South Kensington. The several premises were regularly visited by the
sanitary inspectors, and inspected in September by the Public Health Committee. The business
of a slaughterer of cattle has not been established anew in the borough since the passing of the
(now repealed) Slaughter-houses (Metropolis) Act, 1874, in which year there were 56 licensed
premises. The number of slaughter-houses in the metropolis as a whole, has undergone a
considerable diminution ; viz., from 1,500 in 1874 to 362 in 1902.
The names of the licensees, and the localities of the Kensington slaughter-houses, are as
follows:—
North Kensington. South Kensington.
Lonsdale Mews .... Mr. Grove. 85, Earl's Court Eoad - - - Mrs. Matson.
13, Archer Mews ,, Bawcombe. 21, Peel Place, Silver Street - - Mr. Osborne.
10, Edenham Mews ,, Goddard. 25, Silver Street Wright.
195, Clarendon Road „ Simmons. 183, High Street, Notting Hill - „ Candy.
235, Walmer Eoad - - - Mr. Van. 113, Holland Park Avenue - - ,, Holloway.
278, Kensal Road - - - Mr. Miles. 123, Marlborough Road - - „ Bolton.
The premises in Kensal Road and Marlborough Road were transferred from Chelsea to Kensington
in November, 1900. At the same time, a Kensington slaughter-house at Silchester-road passed to
the control of the Borough Council at Hammersmith. One slaughter-house has been demolished
in the High Street widening, and no application was made in respect to the old established premises
at Royal Crescent Mews.
In the annual report for 1898 (pages 98-102) I dealt with the subject of "Abattoirs
versus Private Slaughter-houses," in connection with an abortive attempt by the Public Health
Committee of the County Council to substitute public for private slaughter-houses. The report
of the Committee (dated 21st July, 1898), containing the recommendation, was shelved by the
Council on a motion to proceed to the next business—much to my regret, as an advocate for
30 years of public abattoirs. No further action in the matter has since been taken.