View report page

117
connected from the sewer unless nuisance is proved to exist,
from the want of a trap, or unless infectious disease has
occurred in the house ; and notices for the trapping of drains
found to be untrapped were issued in such cases only. Your
Vestry, on 15th January, adopted a resolution as follows: —
" That the practice of requiring the insertion of intercepting traps
in drains be continued in all cases where the premises, by the absence of
a trap, are in such a state as to be a nuisance, or injurious, or dangerous
to health, and that the instruction to the Sanitary Inspectors be varied
in accordance with this direction,"
and on the 12th February the " Instruction " to the Inspectors
in regard to this matter was varied to read as follows: —
" The drain to be tested with water or smoke, and where the
absence of an intercepting trap between the house and the sewer
renders the premises a nuisance, or injurious, or dangerous to health,
the drain to be trapped from the sewer outside the house, by means of
a syphon provided with fresh air inlet."
The previously existing instruction read as follows:—
"The drain to be tested with water or smoke, and to be trapped
from the sewer, outside the house, by msans of a syphon provided
with a fresh air inlet; where practicable and necessary, a manhole or
access chamber to be provided."
If little was done in respect of trapping, still less was
done in the way of reconstruction or repair of house drains
under sanitary notices, for early in the year a recommendation
of the Sanitary Committee was adopted by your Vestry to the
effect that no drain was to be opened up for examination
without the authority of the Committee,* the result
being that the work of reparation of drains, under notice
has since been practically in abeyance; for in the ordinary
work of house inspection by the Sanitary Inspectors, little
*The direction of the Vestry in regard to this matter took the form of a
"Note" to the "Instruction" with respect to Drainage, which reads as
follows " Before requiring the opening up of the drain of any house, the
case shall be reported to the Works and Sanitary Committee, and their
authority obtained for such an inspection of the said drain."