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40
FOULING OF PUBLIC FOOTWAYS BY DOGS.
The following bye-law was made by the Council on the 29th July, 1924, for the good rule
and government of the Borough:—
No person being in charge of a dog in any street or public place and having the dog on
a lead shall allow or permit such dog to deposit its excrement upon the public footway.
Any person offending against this bye-law shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding
40 shillings.
This bye-law shall cease to be in force after the first day of August, 1926, unless a
bye-law confirming and continuing its provisions has been duly made and come into force
before that date.
In July, 1926, the bye-law was adopted permanently by the Council.
This bye-law is enforced by the Medical Officer of Health and his staff. Active assistance
is given by the police, the Home Secretary having intimated in June, 1928, as a result of
representations from the Council, that the police had been instructed to report to the Council
such offences against the bye-law as come to their notice in the course of their ordinary duties.
During 1932, six prosecutions were instituted, small fines being imposed in all cases.
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 purposes of the Regulations.
Mr. C. S. Wansbrough acted as Canal Boats Inspector during the year.
The following report for the year 1932 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.
One hundred and fifteen canal boats were inspected during the year, the following
infringements of the Acts and Regulations being discovered:—
Cabins leaky 6
Cabin floors defective 5
Stoves and stove pipes defective 8
Boats without certificates 6
Painting of cabins required 15
No 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.
Two boats were registered, and one re-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), the decrease on the figure
reported last year being due to more families living ashore and also to fewer "sand"
boats entering the Basin.
The total number of boats in respect of which certificates of registration had been
issued at the end of the year was 255.