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scheduled, originally, in the now repealed Slaughter Houses
(Metropolis) Act, 1874. At my instance your Vestry applied
to the late Metropolitan Board of Works, in 1883, to schedule
the business under that Act, but without success. And last
year, upon receipt of complaints of nuisance arising in the
conduct of the business, an application was made to the
County Council to schedule the business under the provisions
of section 19 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891. Upon
receipt of the Council's communication declining to accede to
your Vestry's request, I placed upon record a history of
the question, in the thirteenth four-weekly report, dated
December 3rd, as follows:—
'An Offensive Trade.—In my eighth report for 1883,1 dealt
with the nuisances arising in the conduct of the business of a marinestore
dealer, otherwise rag and bone merchant, and cited a glaring
illustration of recent occurrence,* Subsequently your Vestry, on the
recommendation of the Sanitary Committee, drew the attention of the
Metropolitan Board of Works to the subject, and requested them to
" consider as to the desirability of the business of a ' marine store
dealer' being declared to be an 'offensive business' under the provisions
of the Slaughter-houses (Metropolis) Act, 1874, section 3" It was felt
that good would result were the business regulated by bye-laws, so as
to secure, as in the case of other offensive trades, a proper construction
of the premises where it is carried on, the provision of suitable
metal receptacles for storage and removal of offensive fat, &c, and
frequent if not daily removal of such matters from the premises. The
Board did not adopt the recommendation of your Vestry, having in
their reply stated that " the businesses to which the Act of 1874 refers,
are businesses Which include processes of manufacture of a more or less
offensive character," and that it did not appear to them that " the
mere collection of a mass of refuse matter into one place was a ' business"
*The particulars of the case referred to were set out as follows :—
" A most fearful stench caused by a laige accumulation of putrid
fat, boneB, rabbit-skins, and the refuse that had been collected from
numerous kitchens . . . There were 25 tubs full of fat which was in a
putrid state and alive with maggots, and several sacks, baskets, &c.,
full of offensive fat, bones, &c. The stench was perceptible at a
distance of one hundred yards." The Surveyor put the finishing touch
to the picture by the statement that " the street was undermined with
rat-runs directed to the premises," whgre these vermin, no doubt
feasted luxuriously.