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Section 3 of the 1884 Act states that:—
"It shall be the duty of every registration or sanitary authority within whose district any
canal, or any part of a canal, is situate, to enforce within such district the provisions of the
principal Act and this Act, and any Regulations made thereunder by the Local Government
Board; and every such authority shall, within twenty-one days after the 31st day of December
in every year, make a report to the Local Government Board as to the execution of the
principal Act and this Act, and of the Regulations made thereunder as aforesaid, and as to
the steps taken by such authority during the year to give effect to the provisions of the said
Acts and Regulations."
The Kensington Borough Council are, therefore, vested with authority to enforce the Canal
Boats Acts and Regulations on all boats entering that portion of the Grand Junction Canal which
is within the boundaries of the Borough.
Many years ago, an arrangement was made with the Paddington Authority, which received
the approval of the Local Government Board, for the Paddington Canal Boats Inspector to undertake
the small amount of work entailed in the Borough, Paddington having a much larger length
of canal and greater dock accommodation.
During the year, it was discovered that this arrangement was not working very well and in
October last, the Council appointed Mr. R. J. McCarthy, one of the District Sanitary Inspectors, to
be Canal Boats Inspector and authorised him to carry out the necessary duties under the Canal
Boats Acts, 1877 and 1884, and the Regulations made thereunder.
From the date of his appointment until the end of the year, the Inspector made fourteen
inspections, thirteen of which were initial inspections and one re-inspection. In three instances,
children of school age were found living on the boats. The vessels, however, were in a clean
condition and no structural or other defects were found.
Of the thirteen boats inspected, two were not used for habitation owing to the defective
conditions of the cabins.
No births or deaths occured on boats lying at the wharves in Kensington and no cases of
infectious disease were reported.
FOULING OF FOOTPATHS BY DOGS.
Towards the end of 1921, the Council succeeded in obtaining the approval of the following
by-law for the good rule and government of the Royal Borough:—
"No person being in charge of a dog in any street or public place and having the dog on a
lead shall allow or permit such dog to deposit its excrement upon the public footway.
"Any person offending against this by-law shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.
"This by-law shall cease to be in force after the 31st day of December, 1923, unless a
by-law confirming and continuing its provisions has been duly made and come in'o
force before that date."
This by-law was made in pursuance of Section 23 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1882,
Section 16 of the Local Government Act, 1888, and Section 5 of the London Government Act,
1889.
In 1923 the by-law was sanctioned without limit of time and the Council now have a permanent
measure by which they can secure a considerable improvement in the cleanliness of the public
footways.
The Council have issued leaflets which have been posted on lamp-posts and in various places
in the Borough, and delivered by hand to a large number of dog-owners. Attention has been
called to the by-law by slips attached to the rate demand notices and the matter has received
notice in the local press.
Two officers in the Public Health Department make observations and during 1929 they
reported fifteen breaches of the by-law to the Public Health Committee. Summonses were taken
out and fines of 10s. 6d. on two occasions and 10s. in the others were imposed.
The number of convictions under this by-law during the past eight years is 49.