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232
At first sight, judging alone from the disparity in the times
given in the above tables, it might be thought that a re-arrangement
of the districts and beats would effect much in equalizing the work.
but in actual practice it is found not to be so. The daily collection
of house refuse varies greatly. It varies according to the season,
more dust accruing in winter than in Summer; according to locality,
more green refuse being collected in the Northern than in the
Southern Division; according to day of collection, more dust being
put out, as a rule, in the earlier days of the week, when Sunday intervenes,
than on the later days; according to the weather—a wet
day early in the week will result in a much larger collection on the
corresponding day later in the week; according to circumstance—
for example, when a large establishment such as a Hospital or School
indulges in a special "Spring clean," and lastly, all Bank Holidays
and Festivals, when no collection is made, necessitate an almost double
collection on the later corresponding days.
Although, therefore, I have given the average collection above,
the figures must be considered as liable to considerable fluctuation.
The beats as drawn up are the outcome of several years' working,
the majority of them in areas which have not increased, and are as
compact as can reasonably be expected. Moreover, any large alteration
now adopted for the purpose of making each beat yield approximately
the same amount of refuse would, on the same grounds,
require re-adjustment in six months time. And it must be remembered
that any alteration in the days of collection would necessitate
public advertisement and public billing. For these reasons I
cannot recommend altering the old beats (I mean generally; those
beats which abut on newly-developing property are of necessity frequently
altered by a street here and there, as occasion arises).
The essence of the Council's resolution being "time of employment,"
the only arrangement possible appears to be the use of a
sufficient number of carts, having regard to the time now occupied
in collection, to allow of each man returning to the stable within
8 hours of his leaving it.