View report page

58
Conveyance of Offensive Matter Through Streets.—Reference has been made in these
reports, on several occasions, to nuisance from peat stable refuse, and to the necessity of depositing
such refuse in a suitable carriage on removal from the stable, so as to allow of its conveyance from
the premises without disturbance, such as necessarily takes place when the manure is stored in an
ordinary brick receptacle, the stenches complained of bsing due to such disturbance. Reference,
moreover, has been made to nuisance in connection with the storage and removal of other offensive
matter—more particularly that of the trades of fishmonger, game dealer, poulterer, &c. Refuse of
this description is required by the bye-law of the County Council to be removed in a " suitable
carriage or vessel properly constructed," and covered " SO as to prevent the escape" of any of the
contained matter, " and so as to prevent any nuisance arising therefrom." The time prescribed for
removal is from 4 to 10 a.m. in summer, and from 6 a.m. to noon in winter. Much of the offensive
matter is conveyed to West Ham, where a bye-law is in force prohibitive of the conveyance of such
material through the streets during the daytime. These contradictory bye-laws place the people
engaged in the business of removal in an awkward position. For some years, at the instance of the
late Vestry, peat manure at the large stable yards occupied by omnibus companies and other large
proprietors of horses, has been stored in waggons, and removed in them, without giving rise to
serious complaint. With regard to other forms of offensive matter, the views expressed in these
reports indicate the desirability of fish offal, and such like matters, being removed from the tradesman's
premises in the storage vessels, and not, as now, in tank-vans, the use of which involves more
or less nuisance, both when the contents of the shop receptacles are tipped into the tank, and in
transit through the streets. Given properly covered, externally clean, and sound metal receptacles,
no nuisance is likely to arise in transit through the streets, at whatever time of day removal may be
effected, and on purely sanitary grounds there need be no limitation of time for removal.
The views thus briefly set out having been approved by the late Vestry, and submitted to the
County Council on more than one occasion, appear not to have been without effect, for the subject
generally was dealt with by the Public Health Committee of that body last year in connection with
a proposed amendment of the Council's byedaw with regard to the removal of offensive matter.
An amended bye-law was prepared, and, pursuant to section 114 of the Act, forwarded to the
sanitary authorities to enable them to make any representation thereon to the Council for its
consideration.
The proposed amended bye-law reads as follows:—
" Every person who shall remove or carry, or cause to be removed or carried, by road or
water in or through London, any faecal or offensive or noxious matter or liquid, whether
such matter or liquid shall be in course of removal or carriage from within or without
or through London, shall use or cause to be used therefor, a suitable carriage or vessel
properly constructed, and furnished with a sufficient covering, so as to prevent the escape
of any matter or liquid therefrom, and so as to prevent any nuisance arising therefrom.
" Such person shall not remove or carry, or cause to be removed or carried, such matter or
lioi'.id by road in or through London except during the following periods, viz.:—
"Between 5 o'clock a.m. and 10 o'clock a.m., or during the period commencing two
hours before sunset and ending one hour after sunset, in any day during the
months of March, April, May, June, July, August, September, and October.
"Between 6 o'clock a.m. and 11 o'clock a.m., or during the period commencing two
hours before sunset and ending one hour after sunset, in any day during the
months of November, December, January, and February.
" Such person shall not remove or carry, or cause to be removed or carried, such matter
or liquid by water in or through London except during the period commencing at sunrise
and ending at sunset in any day.
"This bye-law shall not apply to any person removing or carrying manure consisting only of
horse dung, with a sufficient proportion of straw, and shall not apply to any person
removing or carrying in a suitable vessel, as aforesaid, manure consisting of horse dung
and litter other than straw."
The County Council's Public Health Committee in their report stated that the Local
Government Board did not "see their way to allow removal either during the night or during hours
of the day, when the streets are crowded, especially during the heat of summer." They added that
" the extension of hours . . . would be of substantial benefit, although it would not remove
all the difficulties " to which their attention had been called, and which " could only be overcome
by allowing removal during the night," a course to which the Board " object, as it is then impossible
to see that the refuse is not slopped or spilled, and that the vehicles conveying it are properly
covered."
It will be observed that the proposed amended bye-law would deal effectively with the
nuisance from peat moss litter, which would be required to be removed in properly covered carriages.
When reporting on the subject in the second monthly report (February 28th, page 21), I anticipated
that the necessary consent of the Local Government Board to the proposed amended bye-law would
not be withheld; I regret to say that consent has not yet been given. It must be added that the
extended hours proposed to be allowed for the transit through streets of offensive matter will not
get over the difficulty in regard to West Ham, where, as already stated, a bye-law is in operation
prohibiting the conveyance of offensive matter through streets in the day time. It is matter for