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"Messrs. Freeland & Smith occupy nine railway arches
which open on to a private road, the main entrance of which
is in Southwark Park Road, in the neighbourhood of the "John
Bull." Four of these arches belong to the South Eastern
and Chatham Railway, and five to the London Brighton
and South Coast Railway. Two of the latter only, Nos.
13 and 14, are registered with the County Council for the manufacture
of manure, which is an offensive trade. No. 13 is
used as the main entrance of the business premises and also as
an office, and No. 14 is intended to be a closed chamber as required
by the by-laws for the carrying on of offensive processes.
The remaining seven arches are mainly used for storing scutch
(the residue from glue boiling), furriers' waste, feathers,
"brown scum" (sugar waste), shoddy and various waste
matters from maufactures. These are stated to be simply
stored, bagged, and sent out just as received, that is, without
undergoing any process which might be construed as the manufacture
of manure.
Some years ago the question was raised as to whether
this firm had not established anew the business of a manure
manufacturer within the meaning of the Act, inasmuch as
they had increased their business by the storing of scutch
in the large arch to be mixed with other matter in the closed
chamber. The firm denied doing any mixing, and said the
scutch was carted out as received.
On January 16th, however, on visiting these premises
in company with a London County Council Inspector, we made
a complete inspection, and, among other things detailed below,
found that the firm were actually mixing scutch along with other
waste products in the closed chamber, and it was evident to
us that the scutch stored in the large arch above referred to
was being used for the purpose of the manufacture of manure.
There were machines in some of the other arches apparently
used for breaking up matter, but we could not say they were
being used in the closed chamber.
The closed chamber does not comply with the by-laws
in the following respects: —
(1) The paving was partly composed of stone setts,
and not jointless.