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work of the department.
System No. 1 was in part reconstructed by the Council, and in part broken up by
diversion of the top drain at the expense of the Council ; System No. 6 was reconstructed by
the owner of the premises, the Council paying a portion of the expense ; Systems Nos. 7 and
8 were held to be private drains, and have not yet been reconstructed*; and System No. 11
was broken up, and each house now has a new and independent drain, the Council putting in
the necessary sewer-eyes without charge. The remaining systems have been reconstructed
by the Council, being in each case deemed to be a sewer and not a drain. In the case of
System No. 10, the combination was at the time of reconstruction broken up, each house
now having independent drains.
Orders under Sec. 74 of the Metropolis Local Management Act, 1855, were issued with
respect to new systems of combined drains at:—
Nos. 17 and 19, Chilworth Street.
Nos. 55 and 57, Elgin Avenue.
Nos. 560 and 562, Harrow Road.
Nos. 1-4, Junction Place and No. 22a, Market Street.
Nos. 129 and 131, Westbourne Grove and No. 1A, Chepstow Place.
The new combined drains have been constructed under the supervision of the Department,
except that for Junction Place and Market Street, where the work had not been
commenced at the end of the year.
The reconstruction of the combined drainage systems on the Queen's Park Estate is
being carried on. In 1902 small sections were dealt with here and there, while last year
certain blocks were dealt with as a whole, a system which will be continued in the future.
The Inspector of the District reports that the main and branch drains of the undermentioned
blocks or groups of houses were reconstructed during the year, the new drains following the
old lines in each case.
Kilburn Lane, Nos. 2-26 (even).
Peach Street, Nos. 1-47 (odd).
Harrow Road, Nos. 716-740 (even).
Sixth Avenue, Nos. 1A, 3A, 5A.
Droop Street, Nos. 115-187 (odd).
Fifth Avenue, Nos. 132-154 (even).
Third Avenue, Nos. 111-145 (odd).
Nutbourne Street, Nos. 2-22 (even).
Peach Street, Nos. 2-12 (even).
Ilbert Street, Nos. 137-153 (odd).
Droop Street, Nos. 189-199 (odd).
Fifth Avenue, Nos. 147-167 (odd).
Oliphant Street, Nos. 113-165 (odd).
Kilburn Lane, Nos. 162-222A (even).
Ilbert Street, Nos. 121-135 (odd).
Droop Street, Nos. 86-148 (even).
Sixth Avenue, Nos. 1 to 49 (odd). J
Proper gullies were put in, rain-water pipes disconnected, and new soil pipes constructed
as required. The whole of the underground work was water-tested before and
after filling in, and the above-ground soil pipes &c. (where constructed) smoke-tested. In
most cases the work was preceded by chemical tests of the old drains, the Inspector reporting
that defects were revealed by such tests in "a large percentage" of cases. Forty-four (44)
special tests other than those alreadv referred to were made during the year after the
occurrence of infectious illness. Twenty-four (24) of those tests gave positive results,
i.e. proved the drains defective. Complaints of " drain smells " were received from 36 other
houses, and on the chemical test being used, 32 positive results were obtained.
The total number of houses on the Estate re-drained during the year numbered 352.
* Orders for reconstruction, as settled by Counsel, were issued in December last.