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181
PUBLIC SANITARY CONVENIENCES.
There are only 19 public urinals in the parish—a very
inadequate provision, which, however, is supplemented by about
170 urinals at public-houses to which the general public have
access: accommodation not of a satisfactory sort, as a rule, but
better than none at all, and improved as the result of proceedings
taken by your Vestry in 1888 and subsequently. There
are three sets of public water-closets, for the male sex only,
situated, respectively, at the rear of the Central Public Library,
at the west end of Westbourne-grove, Notting-hill, and in the Old
Brompton-road, opposite the Bell and Horns tavern. Sanitary
Authorities now have ample power to make provision of this
sort; section 88 of the Metropolis Management Act, 1855,
enabling them to " provide and maintain urinals, water-closets,
and like conveniences, for both sexes, in situations where they
deem such accommodation to be required." Suitable sites exist,
none better, perhaps, or where provision of the kind is more
needed, than in Kensington High-street, where, opDosite the
Parish Church, an underground retiring place for both sexesmight
be constructed without giving rise to nuisance in any sense of the
word. Increased powers were conferred by the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891, which, to facilitate the construction of
underground conveniences, vests the sub-soil of roadways in the
Sanitary Authority, who, moreover, have power to compensate
persons injured by the erection of these conveniences near their
houses, &c.
WATER SUPPLY.
In former reports I have dealt at length with matters
affecting the water supply of the Metropolis generally, and of
this parish in particular. There is little to be added to what
has been said in those reports. The County Council are still
minded to promote legislation to confer on themselves power to
acquire the interests of the several companies, but their