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cesses and much hand picking in order to abstract from it anything
that could be put to any possible use such as waste paper, bone,
metal, and fine material which it is hoped may be used for brick
making, etc. Out of an average of 30 tons per diem dealt with
approximately 18 tons are sorted out for sale or disposal in this
way, and about 1 ton of small pieces of coal, coke and other combustible
material which is used solely for the firing of the boiler,
which with the assistance of coke or coal purchased for the purpose
raises the steam necessary to provide the energy for driving the
whole of the screening plant leaving about 11 tons of real refuse
and otherwise non-disposable material to be dealt with in the
destructor furnaces pure and simple. The furnaces consist of 2
cells of what might be termed a Greenwich Borough Council design
into which the refuse is burnt at no very great heat. This results
in a very mixed lot of clinker being produced which is larger in
volume, and in my opinion, inferior quality to clinker which would
be produced if a greater heat were raised. The whole of the system
will need very great care in its operation to ensure that persistent
nuisances are not occasioned, for the process is a very unsavoury
one, and the suggestion of storing any large quantity of this sort of
material until arrangements are made for its disposal to brickmakers
and others is likely to give rise to considerable nuisance.
Public Sanitary Conveniences.—There are at present
4 underground sanitary conveniences in the Borough, situated at—
Blackwall Lane, East Greenwich.
South Street, West Greenwich,
Creek Road, St. Nicholas, Deptford, and
Blackheath Hill.
Houses Let in Lodgings.—Very little can be done in the way
of systematic inspections until the new By-Laws to be made by the
London County Council under Section 6 of the Housing Act, 1925,
become law. Two hundred and twenty-two inspections were
made of the premises already on the Register.
Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919.—Complaints as to
rat infestation and cases coming to the notice of this Department
are forthwith investigated. Advice and assistance are given
where necessary.
The result of the propaganda of the last few years has resulted
in a greater general knowledge of methods employed in the extermination
of these pests. Four hundred and sixty-one such investigations
were made by the Council's Officers but in no case was
it found necessary to serve a notice.