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119
system throughout London, in connection with the important work
of supervising the original construction of drainage work.
Together with the then Mayor, Mr. Councillor Bussey, the Town
Clerk and Borough Surveyor, I attended a deputation which waited
upon the President of the Local Government Board on the subject
of combined drainage with a view to legislation.
A Conference, to which the Council appointed delegates, was
held at Battersea as far back as October, 1901.
Together with the Chairman of the Public Health Committee
(Mr. Councillor Bacon) I attended a Conference at Fulham Town
Hall, on the 11th December. The Conference was convened to
consider the desirability of proceeding to an Appeal in the House
of Lords against the decision of the Court of Appeal in Silles v.
Fulham Borough Council.
In this case it was decided that a pipe from the point where
it receives rain-water from two houses, becomes a sewer within
the meaning of the Metropolis Local Management Act, 1855, and
one of the Justices expressed the further opinion that the downstack
pipe was, in such a case, also a " sewer."
The Conference adjourned for one month in order to again
communicate with the Metropolitan Local Authorities who were one
and all in full sympathy with the Fulham Borough Council, asking
them to contribute towards the expenses of an appeal.
It was decided to send particulars respecting the decision to
the President of the Local Government Board.
It must be obvious to everybody that if a stack pipe is to be
a sewer, as one of the Justices expressed the further opinion, then
an eaves gutter taking the rain-water from more than one house
must also be a sewer, and it can be readily seen if such is to be
considered the case in future, how easy it is for anybody to