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107
ADMINISTRATIVE WORK.
In connection with the Orders made by the Council under the Section just referred to, a
point of law arose last year which is believed to be quite new:—
It has never been the practice of the Vestry or Council to allow anyone not expressly authorised
by statute so to do, to open the footways or roadways in the Borough. When an Order under Section
85 was made it was expected that the party on whom the Order was served would deposit with the
Council a sum of money sufficient to cover the estimated cost of the work required under the roadway.
If no such steps were taken during the period prescribed by the Order, the Council proceeded at the
end of the prescribed period to carry out the work ordered and then took steps to recover the cost.
Such practice was followed, without misadventure, until the autumn of last year, when the defendant
in a case taken at Marylebone Police Court for the recovery of the expenditure raised the point
that he had had no opportunity of complying with the Order. He contended, in effect, that the
Council had ordered him to do certain work, but had at the same time refused the necessary
facilities for doing it. His contention was based on the known prohibition against ratepayers
opening the roadways. The Magistrate upheld the defendant's contention and dismissed the case
with costs against the Council.
The decision was not appealed against and consequently it has become necessary to make
new arrangements for the carrying out of Orders under Section 85. At the close of the year the
question had not been finally settled.
Combined Drainage.— No old systems were examined during the past year, but the combined
drain, or sewer, serving Dclamere Terrace, reported on during 1912, was reconstructed by
the Council. Orders under Section 74 of the Metropolis Management Act, 1855, were made
sanctioning the construction of combined drains at:—
108, 108a, and 110, Church Street. 15 and 16, Polygon Mews.
5-11, Coburg Place. 41, Hyde Park Square, and)
18-23, Hyde Park Place (two Orders). 4, Clarendon Mews.
411a and 413, Edgware Road. 1, 2 and 3, Salem Road.
Queen's Park Estate.—Complaints of rats were received from houses in Fifth Avenue,
Galton Street, and Ilbert Street. In the first case defects were found on a section of the old main
(combined drain) which had not been relaid at the time the other drains were done. The
defects were made good and the complaint was not repeated. In the other cases no defects
were found in the underground drains and no rats were seen subsequent to the destruction of
those giving rise to the complaints.
The back-additions of 10 houses were underpinned last year and 42 other houses were
provided with damp-proof courses in the front and back walls.
Inspections were made at 82 houses after the occurrence of infectious diseases, the drains
being chemically tested at 25 without result.
Urinal, Queen's Arms, Kilburn.—Complaints have been received from time to time of
nuisance from the outside urinal belonging to this public-house. The nuisance was found to be
due to the large number of users frequenting the urinal who came from the places of entertainment
which are opposite the public-house. It was found on previous occasions that there was
some misuse of a dark corner at the side of the house, and to remedy that complaint a special
bracket lamp was fixed to the house by the Council.
There appears to be a need of a public lavatory at this point, which is the north-eastern
corner of the Borough. Efforts have been made to secure the co-operation of the neighbouring
Councils to provide such accommodation, but, up to the present time, without success.
smoke Prevention.—Sixteen (16) premises were kept under special observation last year
(see list), the total time given to this work amounting to 85¾ hours. Twenty premises were so
watched in 1912, and 29 in 1911.