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81
Removal of House Refuse.—In the annual report for 1903, reference was made to the views
on this subject of a Conference of delegates of the Metropolitan Borough Councils, held in 1900,
a resolution having been adopted that "house refuse should be removed daily when practicable."
The Public Health Committee of the County Council subsequently stated the reasons which, in
their judgment, made removal at frequent intervals necessary. They did not think it practicable
to make a by-law requiring a universal daily collection, but thought a bi-weekly removal should
be made compulsory. A by-law to this effect was drafted and submitted to the several Borough
Councils for their observations, pursuant to section 114 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891;
but the proposal did not meet with a favourable reception, and no further action was taken in the
matter. The subject was dealt with, again, at the Conference of delegates of the Borough Councils
held at the County Hall in July last—to which reference has already been made, and the following
resolution thereon was adopted: —
" That the daily removal of house refuse in suitable districts is advisable."
The Conference passed other resolutions relative to house refuse, as follows : —
"That dust collection should be carried out by the responsible officers of the sanitary
authority without the intervention of a contractor;
"That improved dust carts should be adopted, so covered as to minimise annoyance
caused to passers-by during collection of house-refuse, especially in crowded thoroughfares;
and
"That the method of destruction of house-refuse by fire should be universally adopted
in London." .
Removal of Offensive Trade and. Other Refuse.—At the Conference above adverted to,
the delegates of the Borough Councils adopted a resolution to the effect—
"That the collection of ash offal and other offensive trade refuse should be undertaken
by the Sanitary Authorities at the expense of the producers."
In the preceding month of June, the County Council, upon the recommendation of the
Public Health Committee, decided to apply to Parliament, in the Session of 1905, for powers—
"Enabling sanitary authorities to undertake, if they think fit, the collection and removal
of offensive trade refuse; and empowering them to require payment of a reasonable sum by
the owner or occupier of any premises from which such refuse is removed."
The matter, however, is not dealt with in the Council's General Powers Bill now before
Parliament. In the annual report for 1903, the history of this question of removal of refuse
matters was given at length, it having been dealt with on many occasions in these reports, more
especially in and since the year 1887, when the late Metropolitan Board of Works first took it into
consideration.
Nuisance From Stable Refuse.—The subject of nuisance from offensive collections, or
delay in removal, of stable refuse, has found a place in these reports for nearly 30 years. Until
within a comparatively recent date, the principal cause of nuisance was the sunken dung-pits,
now generally displaced by the iron cage-receptacles * recommended by me in 1875. More than a
quarter of a century ago, the late Vestry made regulations with a view to secure the removal of
the refuse three times in each week, on alternate days; and on the whole, the work of clearance
has been effected of late years in a fairly satisfactory manner. Nuisance now arises most
frequently in connection with the removal of peat refuse. The County Council, appreciating the
gravity of the complaints on this score, made a new by-law in 1901, requiring removal of this
description of refuse under the conditions applicable to the removal of offensive matter generally.
But nuisance will not cease so long as peat refuse, on removal from stables, is placed in a fixed
receptacle, from which it must needs be transferred to the carriage provided for its conveyance
through the streets. Intolerable stink arises in the turning over of the refuse, and the only
remedy, long practised in the borough, is by the immediate deposit of it in the vehicle in which
removal is to be effected. I fear, however, that nuisance in connection with peat refuse will never
be wholly prevented until sanitary authorities shall have obtained power, and be required, to remove
stable refuse at the cost of the owner. In the (now repealed) Sanitary Act of 1866, power
to do this, at their own cost, was given to the sanitary authority, but only with the consent of the
* About 1,600 stables in the Borough have been provided with these iron cage receptacles; whilst upwards of 700 brick
receptacles above ground, and nearly 600 sunken pits have been abolished in the mews, which are not far short of 200 in number.