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ADMINISTRATION.
33
upon, and in October last a letter was received from the County Council asking for the views on the
matter of the Borough Council.
A good many dead drains are found and dealt with by the Council, the Works Department sealing
off such drains as soon as their non-use has been verified by joint inspection above and below ground
by the Sanitary Inspectors and the Sewer Flushers. When an existing (working) drain is given up, the
Inspector secures proper sealing off of the sewer eye and filling up or destruction of the drain to the
sewer eye. Having regard to the experience of this Department it is difficult to understand how any
necessity for special legislation arises.
Water Supply.—Certificates under Section 48 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, were
issued during the year with respect to 11 premises, 4 more than the numbers recorded in each of the
years 1921 and 1922. In 3 instances the certificates were issued with respect to reconstructed premises,
and in the remaining 8 with respect to new buildings among which were St. Luke's Hospital,
Hereford Road and "Clive Court" (part of only), the latter being the biggest building erected in the
Borough since the war.
The Metropolitan Water Board reported discontinuance of water supply to 12 premises (13 in
1922), 10 in consequence of non-payment of water rate, and 2 on account of defective fittings. In
3 instances the premises were found on inspection to be unoccupied, and with respect to the others, 7
notices for restoration of the supply and 1 summons were required.
Mortuary.—There was a slight increase in the number of bodies received at the Mortuary last
year, the total being 268, as compared with 258 in 1922. The number received for inquest purposes
was a little lower (185-199 in 1922), and a fairly large increase in the number of non-infectious bodies
deposited pending burial (83-59 in 1922). An increase in such practice is to be welcomed, having
regard to the growing proportion of the population living in flats and made-down houses.
Trade Nuisances.—Offensive Smells.—The complaints received relating to smells were only 10
in number, but there was an increase in the number of complaints relating to accumulations of manure
from 9 in 1922 to 26 last year.
Emission of Dust.—The apparatus provided by the occupiers to prevent the escape of dust and
feathers from a bedding factory and of powder from a soap-powder factory have remained in use
throughout the year with satisfactory results, except for some trifling defects which were quickly
remedied.
Offensive Trades.—Bye-laws regulating the businesses of rag and bone dealers were adopted by
the County Council in May last, and duly confirmed by the Minister of Health and Secretary of State
in September. The Bye-law relating to the structure of premises occupied for trade purposes cannot
be fully enforced until September, 1924.
Smoke Nuisance.—Twenty-one premises were kept under observation for the detection of black
smoke. Those premises were watched on 356 occasions covering 185 hours. Smoke of all descriptions
was noted during 62 hours, but the duration of "black" smoke was only 3½ hours. The duration of
black smoke, as observed, was equivalent to 2.1 hours in every 100 hours of observation. That proportion
is the lowest recorded since 1918, the proportion varying during the five years from 6.6 to 3.6.
Nine complaints relating to the emission of smoke were received during the year, 3 arising from
factories, 2 each from motor works and club premises, and 1 each from a zinc workshop and a restaurant.
The complaints did not in every instance relate to black smoke, the only form of smoke with which the
Department can deal. Extension of the provisions relating to smoke, so as to permit of the control
of all shades of smoke, is much to be desired and long overdue.
Effect has not yet been given to the recommendations contained in the Report (December, 1921)
of the Departmental Committee of which Lord Newton, P.C., was Chairman. It is to be hoped, however,
that the recommendation to transfer the duty of smoke supervision from the Borough Councils
to the County Council will not be put into effect. The detection of smoke offences appears to be essentially
a matter with which the officers of the authority controlling the district in which such offences
occur are best capable of discharging.
In one instance a notice under Sec. 24 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, was issued, but
proceedings were not required.
Canals: Canal Boats.—At the Easter clean-up of the Paddington Basin 414 tons of mud were
removed, 637 square yards of concrete put down, 65 cubic feet of brickwork renewed, and 50 square
yards re-pointed. In the Annual Report of the Examining Officer, presented to the Council in January
last, it was recorded that there had been no case of infectious disease among the boat population during
1923, and only 3 deaths, 1 from drowning (f., aet. 6) and 2 from tuberculosis (m., æt. 41, pulmonary; f.,
aet. 1, other form).