View report page

83
Gardens," at the sum of £30,713 8s. 7d., the total estimated cost being £32,000, which will raise
the expenditure on local "Relief Works" (including the cost of Lots Road Pumping Station) to
nearly £100,000. "The proposed sewer forms part of the scheme for the construction of additional
sewers and pumping stations for the purpose of relieving the main sewers of storm water;" the
estimated cost of which, as originally submitted, was £795,000. It is to be hoped that the new
sewer, plus the pumping station, may prove effectual for the purpose and justify the large
expenditure entailed upon the ratepayers.
SEWER SMELLS.
As was to be expected, having regard to the high temperatures prevalent for many weeks
in the summer, numerous complaints were received of offensive smells proceeding from untrapped
street gullies and sewer ventilating openings at street level, which, having been brought to the
attention of the Public Health Committee, were referred to the Works Committee for abatement
of the nuisance. In this connexion, I had occasion, in July, to report to the Public Health Committee
that the large ventilating grating over the Counter's-creek sewer adjacent to the Warwick
Road entrance to the Earl's Court Exhibition, so often the subject of complaint, and which had been
closed at the request of the Council had been temporarily re-opened, but had had to be closed again on
speedy recurrence of complaints. It may be mentioned that the Standing Orders of the late Vestry
with respect to the sewer smells, made, in 1897, on the recommendation of the "Works and Sanitary"
Committee (after reference to the "Law and Parliamentary" Committee), and never abrogated, are
as follows:—
"Gullies.—(a) That offensive street gullies be efficiently trapped.
(b) That all new gullies to be constructed in the parish be pan-gullies with
syphon-trapped outlets.
(c) That the County Council be requested to trap with syphon-traps all offensive
gullies on the main line sewers.
"Sewer Ventilators.- In cases where complaints are made of nuisance, or annoyance is
caused by offensive smells from sewer ventilators, efforts are to be made to obtain consent
for the fixing of shafts up adjacent houses, and where such consent is obtained,
the objectionable ventilators are to be abolished."
The Committee were of opinion that it was "most desirable . . . that action should
be taken to secure a more efficient and less offensive mode of ventilating the sewers of the Metropolis,"
than by open street gratings. At the date of the reports of the two Committees, there were
about 6,400 untrapped gullies in the Borough, liable to emit offensive smells, and a large number
of sewer ventilating grids at street level. In reporting on the subject, in August last, I observed
that it would be interesting to know how many of these have been dealt with during the seven
vears that had elapsed since 1897. ? Whilst not underrating the difficulties involved in the efficient
ventilation of the sewers, I saw no reason why the proposed palliatives should not be adopted
in all practicable positions, subject to the necessary consents, and recommended the erection of
lofty ventilating columns, at suitable sites, such as the County Council have provided for the
purpose on their main line sewers. The street gullies being so much nearer to houses, and so
much more numerous, should be dealt with on a large, not to say wholesale, scale, as I had observed,
many years ago, when pointing out that the entire number could be trapped at a less cost than
had been incurred in the paving with wood of a single street—Cromwell Road. No action was
taken.
Reference having been made to the proceedings of the "Law and Parliamentary" Committee
in relation to this subject, it may be well to recall the views of that body, as set out in
a report,* printed in the minutes of the late Vestry, 6th October, 1897, page 399. The report was
as follows
"Your Sub-Committee have had before them the correspondence between the Vestry and
the London County Council on this subject, and the report of the Medical Officer of Health
on offensive smells in streets. They have also considered the various sections in different
Acts of Parliament bearing on the same subject, and advise the Committee that, as to gullies,
traps, and ventilators of sewers, the property of the Vestry, there is a clear liability upon the
Vestry in respect of nuisance arising therefrom.
*The Committee had appointed a Sub-Committee consisting of Mr. (now Councillor) Craies, Mr. (now Councillor)
Whitaker Thompson and Mr. R. C. Glen to consider the matter, whose report they deemed of "sufficient importance" to be
snbmitted in its entirety to the Sanitary Authority.