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mews, where straw is used for litter, would have a value at least
equal to the expense of conveying it to the depot at Purfleet,
where it would find a ready sale—as all good manurial refuse
should—for use on the land. A repealed section (95) of the
Metropolis Local Management Act, 1862, authorised the
Sanitary Authority to remove such refuse by agreement with
the occupiers of stables, &c., but made no provision for payment.
This futile provision was re-enacted in the Public
Health (London) Act, 1891, sec. 36 (2), and naturally it
remains a dead letter. The County Council have now taken
up the matter, and it is reasonable to hope that good will
come of their action, which was initiated by a circular letter
addressed to the Metropolitan Medical Officers of Health
by the Council's Medical Officer, at the instance of the
Public Health Committee. In this communication it was stated
that the Committee, "from time to time, receive complaints of
nuisance arising from accumulations of manure at various
premises in London;" and also that under Section 36 of the
Public Health (London) Act, 1891, the Sanitary Authority is
empowered to employ or contract with scavengers "for collecting
and removing the manure and other refuse from any
stables and cow-houses within their district, the occupiers of
which signify their consent in writing to such removal." The
Committee, however, had been advised that the Sanitary
Authority have no power to charge for this service, and they
were considering the question whether, with a view to facilitating
the removal of manure, it is desirable to seek an
amendment of the section, so as to give the Sanitary Authority
power to charge for the removal of manure, when required by
the owner or occupier of any premises to remove it, similar to
that which they now have under section 33 in respect of trade
refuse. The Medical Officer enquired whether I was in favour
of such a proposed amendment of the law? In reply, I stated
that in reports, during many years, I had advocated not only
that the Sanitary Authority should have power to remove
accumulations of manure in London districts, but also that, in