View report page

1928]
54
The provisions of the law relating to public cleansing are contained in the
Public Health (London) Act, 1891, Sections 16, 22, and 29 to 36, and Section 141,
definitions; the London County Council By-laws, allowed 28th June, 1923, paragraphs
4 to 12; the London Traffic (Collection of Refuse) Regulations 1927.
Litter in Streets.—Careless littering of the streets is fairly common
throughout London. There are by-laws in operation, which deal with litter, made
by the London County Council in 1906, as to waste paper, refuse, advertisement
bills, fruit rinds, broken glass, etc., and "street" here includes any road, approach,
lane, path, footway, mews, square, court, alley, or passage to which the
public have access for the time being, but the co-operation of the public is badly
needed to ensure a much higher standard of tidiness.
In October the Medical Officer of Health had his attention drawn by the
Superintendent of the Cleansing Department to the practice of dairymen's roundsmen
depositing broken milk bottles occasionally in the channels of the roads,
thereby endangering the staff of the cleansing department to the risk of personal
injury when removing the refuse to collecting vans. Children also frequently
play about the pavement, and who even kick articles in the channels, run grave
risk from broken glass. Damage is also caused to motor vehicles. A circular
was sent by the Public Health Department to the dairymen in the Borough requesting
their kind co-operation in the prevention of this practice by asking their
roundsmen to refrain from depositing broken glass in the roadway.
REMOVAL OF DUST.
25 applications were received during the year by the Public Health Department
for the removal of dust, which is equal to the number recorded last year.

Dust Receptacles Provided.—During the year 1,444 dust receptacles
were provided, while 14 were repaired after the service of sanitary notices.
NUISANCES BY DOGS.
During the year we issued as usual, and displayed throughout the Borough,
the poster which was approved by the Public Health Committee in 1925, pointing
out that the fouling of footways by dogs can be very considerably diminished if
proper care is exercised by those in charge. During the year we had a number
of enquiries from other places regarding our procedure, and asking for copies
of the poster.
DISTRICT INSPECTORS' WORK.
During the year the fourteen district inspectors made a total of 55,706
inspections and calls, or a decrease of 693 inspections on the corresponding period
of 1927; while 12,587 improvements were effected in 5,818 premises; as against
13,761 improvements in 6,105 premises for the preceding year.