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In the remaining case the summons was dismissed. Numerous verbal warnings to
offenders were also given. The publicity which has been given to the bye-law has had good
effect in causing many dog-owners to be more careful. One minor difficulty in enforcing
the bye-law is that an offender cannot be compelled to divulge his identity, and cannot be
given in charge as the police do not enforce the bye-law.
Notices concerning the bye-law were frequently posted on shingle-bins throughout the
Borough.
CANAL BOATS ACTS, 1877 and 1884.
By virtue of the Local Government Board Regulations of May 17th, 1878, the Paddington
Borough Council is one of the Registration Authorities for the Regent's and Grand Junction
Canals, now the Grand Union Canal. The Medical Officer of Health is the Examining
Officer for the purpose of the Regulations.
Mr. C. S. Wansbrough acted as Canal Boats' Inspector during the year.
The following report for the year 1930 was made to the Council by the Medical Officer of
Health, and was adopted by the Council as their statutory report to the Minister of Health
as required by the Canal Boats Act, 1884.
Report for 1930.—One hundred and eleven inspections of canal boats and 98 calls
and reinspections were made during the year, and the following infringements of the
Acts and Regulations were discovered :—
Cabins leaky 7
Cabin floors defective 9
Stoves and stove pipes defective 13
Boats without certificates 14
Lettering, marking and numbering illegible 2
Painting of cabins required 11
Seven formal notices were served.
On no occasion was admission to a boat refused, and no legal proceedings were
necessary in respect of any of the infringements discovered.
There was one case of infectious disease notified, viz. :—measles.
There were two deaths reported amongst canal boat dwellers.
One boat was registered.
One hundred and five children of school age were found to be living on the canal
boats using the Paddington Basin (50 males, 55 females), a reduction of the number
reported last year, due to the tendency of the parents to find homes ashore for their
families.
The total number of boats in respect of which certificates of registration had been
issued at the end of the year was 249, one being a motor-boat.
It is practically certain that a number of boats, registered many years ago, have
changed ownership, been registered with another authority or been broken up. It is under
the circumstances impossible to trace a number of registered boats or to know the exact
number of " live " certificates of registration.
One of the requisites for an inhabited canal boat is that if ordinarily used for the conveyance
of any foul or offensive cargo, it shall contain between the space occupied by such cargo
and the interior of any cabin used as a dwelling, two bulkheads of substantial construction,
separated by a space not less in any part than four inches, open throughout to the external air.
Such space must be furnished with a pump for the removal of any liquid and the bulkhead
next to the cargo is to be watertight.
It has not hitherto been considered in this Borough that house refuse comes within the
scope of the term "foul or offensive" cargo. Steps are now being taken, however, that
double bulkheads shall be fitted to all inhabited canal boats conveying house refuse and the
owners of such boats are taking all necessary action to comply with this interpretation of the
Regulations.
During the year, of the 22 inhabited boats known to be conveying house refuse from
Paddington Basin, 11 were found to be fitted with double bulkheads. The remaining
11 boats will be refitted as circumstances permit.
The annual cleansing at Paddington Basin was carried out during the Easter holidays.
About 1,547 tons of mud were removed from the bed of the Basin, in addition to 670 tons
which were dredged previously.