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During the past year, 748 removable ashbins of galvanised iron have been provided and 90
fixed ashpits of brick have been abolished under the powers conferred by Section 23 of the London
County Council (General Powers) Act, 1904, as a result of notices served by the Sanitary Inspectors.
PUBLIC CONVENIENCES.
The Council provide six public lavatories containing water-closets; two are for men only
and in four accommodation is provided for both sexes. In addition there are 12 urinals for men
under the charge of the Council. In the women's lavatories there is free accommodation for
those who are unable to pay. There are also conveniences for men and women at eleven railway
stations in the Borough. The public-house urinals entered from the street and available to the
public number 75. The public conveniences in the Borough have been regularly inspected during
the year, those for women in stations and elsewhere having been kept under observation by the
Women Health Officers.
REFUSE REMOVAL FROM MEWS.
The common dustbins installed by the Council in 1921, in 21 mewsways in North Kensington
at the expense of the owners, have continued to prove a satisfactory arrangement for storing
house refuse in these particular mews in which there is a number of dwellings, stables and
costermongers' stores.
For many years past difficulty has been experienced in dealing with refuse in these so-called
"mixed " mewsways, because, although the house refuse is provided for in separate bins, it is still
a common practice to place trade refuse, especially decomposed fruit and vegetables, into the
manure pits and crates, with the result that those persons who have contracted to remove the
manure object to removing a mixture of manure and trade refuse.
Many of those who dump objectionable trade refuse in the pits and crates are strangers or
unknown persons who visit the mewsways at night time for the purpose. Not uncommonly the
pits and crates rapidly become full and overflowing as a result of this practice, and the mewsways
become littered with refuse.
The problem of securing hygienic conditions in these " mixed " mewsways has been tackled
with considerable success during the past two years as a result of close co-operation between the
officers in the Public Health Department and the Borough Engineer's Department.
The Borough Engineer has undertaken a more extensive surface sweeping of the mewsways,
with the result that there is a general appearance of tidiness, and no complaints have arisen in
regard to decomposing trade and other refuse deposited on the mewsway surfaces.
Collections of house refuse are made at least twice weekly in all North Kensington mews.
In pursuance of the provisions contained in Section 36 of the Public Health (London) Act,
1891, bills were posted in North Kensington mewsways in the Spring months of 1924 and 1925
giving notice that the Council required manure and other refuse matter from mews and stables to
be removed three times weekly. A handbill giving similar information was delivered at each
stable in the North Kensington mewsways. The officers of the Public Health Department have
made it a special duty to see that the Council's directions are observed, and have served notices
requiring the removal of insanitary and defective brick manure pits and the repair of other receptacles
for manure.
It has been a common practice for many years past, particularly in North Kensington, to keep
hens, ducks, etc., in the various mewsways. These animals, in their search for food in the dustbins
and manure crates, spread refuse over the mewsway surfaces and have been to a certain
extent responsible for the untidy condition which has been noticed in the past. Mewsways in a
Borough such as Kensington are not suitable places for the accommodation of poultry and, during
the past two years, the Council's Inspectors have taken active steps to secure their removal. At the
present time no hens, ducks or geese are to be seen in the mewsways of the Borough.
It may be a coincidence, but is nevertheless true, that there has not been one infant death
from enteritis in the mews dwellings of Kensington during the two years that the two Departments
of the Council have combined to secure improvements which are apparent to anyone who might
visit the mewsways.
The improved conditions obtained can only be maintained with considerable difficulty, owing
to the callous manner in which refuse is deposited in the mewsways; but with the continuance df
the vigilance recently exercised and the maintenance of the close working arrangement between the
officers of the Borough Engineer's and Public Health Departments, and especially with the
assistance of public opinion among the inhabitants concerned, it is hoped to obtain even better
conditions.