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again be made, but proposed shoots within the district should be
subject to the approval of your Medical Officer of Health.
With the new plan it has been found practicable, on dividing a
district into six equal divisions, to put the whole of the strength
employed into each of the divisions successively, and always into
the same division upon the same day in each week, every street of
the division being traversed in the day, and this no doubt has its
advantages, but I do not suggest it now as I should deem it wiser
for the present to leave untouched any parts of the old system, such
as Dusting by Wards, which would not of necessity militate against
the success of the new. Contracting for the carts, horses, implements,
and men, at so much per day for each cart, &c. employed,
and superintended by men in the service of the Vestries, has also
been tried and found wanting, the experiment in this direction not
having as yet been continued beyond the first few months or year
at most, although in two other Metropolitan Districts they have
during the present year commenced working upon this system, which
having regard to its failure in the hands of others, it would be well
I think for us to avoid.
There are some other matters of detail connected with the
plan suggested, more particularly with regard to the possibility of
collusion and fraud among the men, which it would be better just now
to reserve as rather fitted for deliberation in Committee, than for
statement here; but I wish to notice briefly two or three of the
more palpable benefits which we shall derive from its adoption, and
which will tend to the promotion of its successful working.
1St.—The work would be under the immediate and entire
control and direction of the Sanitary Committee and your officers,
and every cart and man hired of the Contractor would be under
the observation of men in the employ and payment of the Vestry
only.
2nd.—The Contractors would be paid for the actual amount of
work done, and not, as formerly, for the work they undertake to do,
and thus the greatest evil of the old system would be at once
eradicated.
3rd.—Regularity in removal would be attained, as the number
of carts engaged daily in the work would of course be known, and
would be regulated according to the season and with reference to
the exigencies of the parish, and would no longer depend upon the