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146
to eight months only in the year, the hours in the remaining
four months being 6 a.m. to 12 noon. They set out the difficulties
which removal " in the early morning,"—referring of
course to the earliest hours—would entail, and some of these
are very real, and then proceed to state that " no benefit would
accrue to the public by the early removal." I am in this
respect disposed to agree with the committee, who cite me as
" a keen opponent of peat moss manure " (which I am not)
and as being " more concerned about the method of removal
than as to the time at which removal is effected "—as I am.
In my tenth report, quoted by the committee, after a reference
to nuisance arising out of the use of peat moss litter,
meaning, as the context plainly shows, in its removal, and
to the action of the London General Omnibus Company in
placing vehicles in their yards to receive the manure upon
removal from the stables, thus avoiding the main cause of
nuisance, viz., disturbance at the time of removal — I expressed
a hope " that the County Council would arrive at the
decision to require that this ' offensive matter '
shall be conveyed through London streets in a suitable carriage
or vessel, properly constructed, and furnished with a sufficient
covering, so as to prevent the escape of any such (offensive)
matter or liquid therefrom, and soas to prevent any nuisance
arising therefrom," these being the provisions of the bye-law relating
to the carriage of offensive matter through streets ; horse
dung manure (but not cow dung manure) being exempted by
the proviso from the operation of the bye-law. All that the
committee say upon this subject is, that "the providing of
special vans would be an expense amounting in many cases
to a positive hardship." The same objection (quantum valeat)
might be made in respect to the provision of " special vans "
for the removal of offensive matter generally ; but I submit
that it should not be allowed to prevail as against the interests
of public health, and the comfort of persons living in the
vicinity of the large stables belonging to omnibus and other
like companies.
No decision in the matter has, at present, been arrived at.