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WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT.
45
advantages to the producer arising from the change in collection would compensate him for
any pecuniary loss.
Manure.-The Order for removal every 48 hours was duly placarded throughout the
Borough in the early part of the summer. Very few complaints were made of non-removal
and no legal proceedings were required. Letters were received from certain horse owners
asking the Council to undertake the removal of the manure. The Council has the power to
enter into an agreement with any horse owner to remove the manure, but no provision has
been made for any charge being imposed for such work. (Public Health (London) Act, 1901,
Sec. 36.) At the Conference mentioned above, a resolution, mutatis mutandis identical with
that quoted above, relating to the removal of manure was adopted. Certain difficulties which
may be expected to attend the collection bv the local authority have been referred to in
previous Annual Reports, but it is probable that the advantages which may be anticipated
would compensate for such difficulties.
Household Refuse.-Several complaints were received from residents during the hot
weather of offensive effluvia from ash-pits belonging, in nearly every instance, to boarding
houses. The dustmen also lodged complaints of the exceedingly offensive condition of some
of the dustbins. The refuse was found to contain a large proportion of damp organic
matter, both animal and vegetable, and undergoing rapid putrefaction. The complaints
were not due to any irregularity in the removal of the refuse but to the nature of the
contents of the receptacles, and more especially to the dampness of the refuse when thrown
into the dustbin. At a few houses the dust was found in the old fashioned bins under the
area steps, the bins being more or less defective. Notices were issued for repair, or
(preferably) substitution of "sanitary" (iron) receptacles, but such action is not calculated
to entirely obviate the nuisance. The only satisfactory remedy will be found in one of two
alternatives:-
(a) Making bye-laws forbidding the deposit in dustbins of any organic matters, animal or
vegetable, in a condition liable to set up decomposition ; or
(b) Removing the house refuse more frequently than once a week.
If householders would only have all green refuse, bones, etc., put through the kitchen fire
the nuisance would not occur, and they would find that, by skilful use of the refuse,
there would be an economy in coal.
It is doubtful whether the Local Government Board would sanction any bye-laws
forbidding the deposit of organic refuse in dustbins, as the existing law appears to sanction
the placing of household refuse of any and everv class in dustbins.* Moreover, the present
habits of life would render such bve-laws a hardship. Gas cookerv is increasing year bv year,
much to the advantage of the atmosphere which is thereby saved from smoke pollution.
Flats are also increasing in popularity and coal ranges are not always available in the
kitchens there.
In 1901 the London County Council submitted to the Borough Councils a proposal to
amend Bye-law 7† under Section 16(2) of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, by substituting
"twice" for "once." The proposal resulted from the following resolution, adopted at
a Conference of Local Authorities held in 1900 at Spring Gardens, on streets and street
traffic:-
"(3) That in the opinion of this Conference, house refuse should be removed daily
where practicable."
* "House refuse" is defined by Section 141 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, as meaning and
including "ashes, cinders, breeze, rubbish, night-soil and filth not being trade refuse."
† Bye-law 7 is as follows :-
"7.-The Sanitary Authority shall cause to be removed not less frequently than once in every week
the house refuse produced on all premises within their district."