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22
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA.
REFUSE COLLECTION.
In 1929, the Council approved of a re-organisation scheme which comprised the supply of new
motor vehicles, portable refuse containers and standardised bins, the fitting of a new type of cover,
designed by the Council's Cleansing Superintendent, to the motor vehicles and horse-drawn vans,
the conversion of horse-drawn vans from high-loading to low-loading bodies and the discarding of
other vans for motor vehicles.
As a result of the introduction of these changes, which were completed in 1930, it has been
possible to secure a more frequent collection of house refuse and at the present time the collection
is not less than twice weekly throughout the entire borough.
There is an improved daily collection in eight main streets where there is congestion of traffic,
and a daily collection is undertaken before 9 a.m. in certain other streets and blocks of flats. In
other cases there is a thrice-weekly collection.
Residents of the borough have very quickly noted' the improved system of house refuse
collection and expressions of appreciation have come to my hearing from all quarters. The changes
should have a distinctly beneficial effect on the health of the inhabitants of the borough, but it is
too early yet to measure this. It is very gratifying to be able to record this progress especially
in view of the fact that it is understood that the changes have involved comparatively little
additional expenditure.
Twenty-two per cent, of the Kensington refuse is barged away from Kensal Wharf to dumps
at Yeading and Harefield, Middlesex ; thirty-four per cent. is disposed of in the refuse destructor
installation at Wood Lane; and forty-four per cent. is barged away from the Chelsea Wharf to a
dump beyond Tilbury, Essex.
Trade refuse is removed by the Council on payment of a fee in accordance with the provisions
of Section 33 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891. Fish offal and other offensive trade products,
which could be removed on application as trade refuse, are for the most part removed and sold
by the persons to whom this class of refuse belongs.
REFUSE REMOVAL FROM MEWS.
The common dustbins installed by the Council in 1921, in 20 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 are a number of dwellings, stables and
costermongers' stores.
The problem of securing hygienic conditions in mewsways has been tackled with considerable
success during past years as a result of close co-operation between the officers in the Public Health
Department and the Borough Engineer's Department.
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE.
Every house in the borough is connected with the water carriage system for the disposal of
sewage and, generally speaking, house drainage in Kensington is very satisfactory.
The total number of house drains inspected during the year, including those inspections which
may be described as routine and those made on complaint or after infectious disease, totalled 946,
and in 176 cases notices under the Public Health Act were served for either reconstruction or
repairs. In many of these the repairs were slight in nature and the owners were not required to
submit plans and applications. In addition to the above drainage work, 358 new water closets
were provided in order to supplement the accommodation already existing.