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51
RAG AND BONE DEALERS.
In December, 1937, there were 19 rag and bone dealers in the Borough.
SMOKE CONTROL.
During 1937, 7 trade premises were kept under observation for the detection of smoke emitted
so as to be a nuisance. These premises were watched on 26 occasions, occupying 13 hours.
Smoke of all descriptions was noted during 3J hours, "black" smoke being observed for one
minute.
Eight complaints relating to the emission of smoke were received during the year.
CANAL BOATS.
Part X (Sections 249-258) of the Public Health Act, 1936, relates to Canal Boats, the Canal
Boats Acts, 1877 and 1884, having been repealed.
By virtue of the Local Government Board Regulations of 17th May, 1878, the Paddington
Borough Council is one of the Registration Authorities for the Regents 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. V. L. Ronchetti acted as Canal Boats Inspector during the year.
The following report for the year 1937 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.
Ninety visits of inspection were made, the following infringements of the Act and Regulations
being discovered:—
Cabins leaky 2
Stove flue pipe defective 1
Boats without Certificates 3
One notice was served. On no occasion was admission to a boat refused, and it was not
found necessary to institute legal proceedings.
No case of infectious disease was reported. One death was recorded.
Six children of school age were found to be living on the boats inspected.
The registration of one boat was cancelled, it having been re-registered by another authority.
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.
The annual cleansing at Paddington Basin was carried out during the week-end 22nd-24th
April. About 775 tons of mud were removed from the bed of the Basin, in addition to 595 tons
which were dredged previously, a total of 1,370 tons, being some 63 tons more than that
removed in 1936.
TENEMENT HOUSES.
The number of houses on the register at the close of the year was 2,031. Inspections totalled
8,025, and legal proceedings were instituted with respect to nuisances or contraventions of the
Bye-laws in 6 instances. Particulars of the defects, etc., discovered and remedied during the year
are shown below:—
Defects, Nuisances and Contraventions of Bye-laws (other than items of Dilapidation)
Discovered and Remedied.
Drain defective 41
„ choked 10
Soil pipe or soil vent pipe defective 25
Fresh-air inlet valve defective or missing 38
Manhole cover defective 10
Gully grating missing 21
Gully choked 16
Rain-water pipe defective 48
„ „ choked 4
Gutters defective 17
Waste-pipe defective 70
choked 20
„ untrapped 38
„ missing -
Sink defective 47